This land is within the traditional and unceded territory of the Abenaki, a member tribe of the
Wabanaki Confederacy. The Abenaki First Nations of Odanak and Wôlinak maintain reservations along the St. Francis and St. Lawrence Rivers in the Canadian province of Quebec, where they sought refuge following colonial warfare in the Saco, Presumpscot, and Androscoggin River watersheds during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Peabody-Fitch Farm was established in 1797 by one of Bridgton’s first settlers, William Peabody. Peabody established a granite quarry for the home and farm buildings. The quarry remains intact on the southwestern corner of the parcel. Stone walls indicate both animal pastures and cultivated lands. At least one road crossed the property, coming from the John Peabody farm to today’s Narramissic farm and on to points west in Denmark and Bridgton.
In 1938, Margaret Monroe purchased the property to use as a summer home. After her death in 1986, the home, barn, and fields were donated to the Bridgton Historical Society while the forestland was left to her daughter, Peg Normann.
In August 2019, Loon Echo Land Trust purchased the forest from the Normann family after a major fundraising effort. Thank you to the many individual donors that made this land protection project possible. Additional thanks to the Bridgton Historical Society, Portland Water District, Sebago Clean Waters, Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, Davis Conservation Foundation, Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust, an anonymous family foundation, Kendal C. and Anna Ham Foundation and Fields Pond Foundation.
A parking area, Peggy's Pasture Loop and the Quarry Loop Trail were constructed in 2020 and 2021.