HISTORY OF ORANGE
February 4, 1835, Aaron Clark and his wife, Elizabeth, deeded their son Aaron, Jr., twenty-two acres, reaching westerly to the Wepawaug River. This property was located about half a mile below the Alling property. There was no mention of mills, but in 1858 rights in mills were deeded to Timothy Perkins, and it is known that at this place there was a saw mill, a mill to make stocking yarn, and a wheelwright's shop, which were probably built about the time or a little later than the conveyance to Aaron, Jr. The only means of reaching these milks, also, was cross-lots from the Orange Center Road. Aaron, Jr., was a very skillful man, and it is believed that he was able to construct the large over-shot and under-shot water wheels used at that time.
A mile or so south on the same Wepawaug River, there was a saw mill maintained by Deacon Joseph Treat. His house and barn were close by on the little road known as Wepawaug Lane, very near the original Second District schoolhouse.
Parson Hine had a grist mill on Race Brook, where the attractive Overbrook property is now located. He ground corn for cattle; he also had a circular saw for sawing wood. This mill was destroyed in a freshet in 1869. Like most water mills in New England, all these mills have disappeared. What remained of the Twining mills was burned in 1870.
At a special Town Meeting held April 3, 1837, a petition was presented by Aaron Clark, Jr., and others to lay a new road, commencing at the bend of the road near the dwelling house of Jonathan Treat (present home of Arthur D. Clark), running in a northerly direction to the saw mill of Aaron Clark, Jr., thence to the carding and cloth-dressing establishment of Messrs. Fitt and Twining, extending on and intersecting the Derby Turnpike road near the home of Charles W. Alling. This petition was accepted, but as always happens when a new road is proposed, the faculty came when title to the land was sought. It took months of litigation in the courts before clear title was obtained and the road known as Mapledale Avenue was built.
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