The Tankerhoosen River Valley is one of Connecticut's Officially Designated Greenways selected by the DEEP's Connecticut Greenway Council in 2007. They note that, "The Tankerhoosen River is one of the most important watercourses within the Connecticut and Hockanum River Watersheds."

The Tankerhoosen Valley in Vernon and Tolland is indeed a special place. The purpose of this website is to be a resource for information about the area for both those living here and those who enjoy hiking and exploring the area. Here you'll find information on The Tank's history, organizations that support or relate to the area, the river itself and the special places along it. We hope to encourage you to further explore the area and be able to enhance your experience through an appreciation of all it offers.

There is a wealth of information on The Tank to be found on the Internet. We'll provide links plus photos and encourage those of you who also find this a special place to contribute.

We are also concerned about preserving, protecting and maintaining the area for ourselves and future generations. We'll include here news and information that relate.

Following is an overview of what we are creating on this website. We'll add material slowly and then begin to flesh it out. Our hope is that this will be a community effort and we welcome contributions and photos.

Geography

The Tankerhoosen Watershed was formed from the collision and separation of tectonic plates; the scouring of glaciers and the remnants of their melting; many years of wind, rain and runoff; and finally the hand of man.

The Tankerhoosen is made up of two primary streams - one arising in Tolland and the other in Bolton. It ends where it joins the Hockanum River in Talcottville where the water flows to the Connecticut River in East Hartford and on to Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Our river is relatively short yet along the way are at least seven dams and ponds plus a variety of woodlands. For a good portion of the journey the waterway is free of homes and development, unusual during these times.

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History

Native Americans lived in the area long before the white man arrived. When we did start to settle here we found the Tankerhoosen a good source of power for mills. The mills attracted the railroad and the villages of Talcottville and Dobsonville once thrived in the area. Early industry was paralleled by farming until after World War II when subdivisions began to redefine the watershed.

This section covers people, events and locations.

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Biology

Because much of the waterway remains in its natural state there is a great deal of wildlife along the way, including several endangered species. This section provides information on the plants and animals, flora and fauna, found in the Tankerhoosen Valley.

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Recreation

For a relatively small area there is a lot to do, visit and explore. The area lends itself to hiking and biking with many trails and protected land. Large sections are owned and preserved by the CT Department of Environmental Protection, while other tracts are part of the Northern Connecticut Land Trust. Exploring the area will bring you to natural features, historical sites and garden delights. People are surprised at the richness of the area and many longtime residents are unaware of all it offers.

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News

This section includes recent news of interest and published articles. Some organizations regularly lead nature walks. It is also important to be aware of pending development and other threats to the waterway.

You'll also find copies of our newsletter in this section as well as links to the newsletter of other organizations affecting the watershed.

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Resources

There are long range plans for the Tankerhoosen Watershed to be aware of and followed. Vernon's ten year Plan of Conservation and Development is currently being rewritten and needs to be followed. Other organizations also include the watershed in their plans.

There are quite a number of town and area clubs, government bodies and organizations that are concerned about and impact the Tankerhoosen Valley in a variety of ways. There are opportunities to get involved to help keep the area in a healthy way.

In this section you will also find a list of Resources for further study and a Glossary.

» Go to Resources