To get to the "source" of the Silvermine River, start at Ridgefield's Town Hall, go a short block down Main Street, turn left on Governor Street and go down to the bottom of the hill. Then, instead of turning left (to the source of the Norwalk River), turn right and go over the playing fields to Hurlbutt's Pond, which is cut in half by Rowland's Lane (a dead-end street opposite the East Ridge Middle School).

From Hurlbutt's Pond, the watercourse extends southward past the site of Ridgefield's first mill (Benedict, 1717) at the corner of Wilton Road East and Whipstick Road, then into Wilton and west to Browns Reservoir.



Hurlbutt's Pond on Rowland Lane in Ridgefield.
Source of the East Branch of the Silvermine River.




At Whipstock Road, gap in 600-foot-long mill dam.




The old mill's drive wheel at Whipstock Road.




Descending a steep hill at Browns Reservoir.




Entering Browns Reservoir (dry at this time).

BACK to the Silvermine River