Residents Create Magical Summers at Mansfield Grove

Much like the mystical Brigadoon that appears every 100 years,  a community on the edge of Momauguin returns to life each summer as campers arrive to occupy a hodge-podge of campsites their families have occupied for generations.

Jim Flanagan and his family have been coming back since 1950, beginning with his father, aunt and three brothers.

“My family used to go to Maine for vacation every summer,” said Flanagan. “We lived over in the Hill section of New Haven. When my mother died in 1950, my father decided he couldn’t handle four boys on that kind of trip. A friend suggested he try a rental cottage at Mansfield Grove.”

That was the beginning of a life-long love affair with a little-known part of East Haven. The Grove sits on a small peninsula wedged between Momauguin and the Farm River, right on the Long Island Sound. It’s separated from Cosey Beach by Bradford Cove.

The area was purchased in the 1860s by Dennis Mansfield, for whom the place is named. However, it was after WWI, when campers suddenly had access to automobiles, that families began to frequent the area. They found a ready welcome from heirs of Mansfield who let them pitch surplus Army tents on the hill that forms the middle part of the peninsula. For $25, they could stay for the entire summer.

The ‘Tent City’ grew rapidly through the 20s and 30s, with the families returning year after year to the same spots. They began to be known more by the number on their camp site than by last names.

Porches were added to tents, and tents were improved and enlarged. Eventually, people wanted to exchange the tents for cottages. Jesse Bartlett, then owner of the Hill, ordained that this would be allowed, but the cottages couldn’t take up more room on the crowded hill than the original tents and porches had.

Since there had never been any organization as to where the sites were placed or how big they had been, there was a haphazard appearance to the new setup. This would eventually included 73 cottages with indoor plumbing, sewers and town water.

“My dad rented a cottage that first summer.” Flanagan said. “We had such a great time that he made plans to buy a cottage as soon as one became available. People in the Grove have always tended to leave or sell the cottages to family members, so they aren’t available all that often. That’s still true today.”

The Flanagans moved into a cottage next to the Lees, an aunt and uncle who also had four children. The eight cousins ran free all summer. Later, Flanagan bought a cottage as an adult, as did his three brothers and three of his cousins. They have made up a conclave within the Grove for more than 50 years.

A long-time New Haven resident, Flanagan moved to East Haven 15 years ago. However, he has taught math and science at the East Haven High School for 23 years.

“I have my younger brother in the cottage next to mine, and my sisters-in-law still have their places,” Flanagan said. “I have five kids who spent their summers in the Grove and they still like to visit when they can. My son already has a cottage for his family.”

The property now belongs to the campers, themselves. They purchased it in 1966 and operate it under the name Mansfield Grove Campers Association. They own eight acres of camp ground plus four acres of wetlands that abut the camp on the north. Management of the camp is mostly done with one yearly meeting, with each camp having one share of the corporation. By-laws are kept to a minimum and disputes are rare.

Summers have always been busy times of fishing, swimming, boating, talent shows, camp cookouts, bingo, dances, and athletic competitions. There has also been a lot of time for visiting on the beach, reading and lounging.

Over the years, dozens of kids have become expert swimmers and won competitions against other area swim clubs. Past campers have held world records and captained university swim teams. In 1942, Howard Johnson was captain of the Yale Swim Team and holder of the world record, along with Johnny Weissmuller, for the 100 yard event.

The camp also turned out competitive baseball teams playing in area leagues in the 30s and 40s. Progress in this area slowed when two campsites were allowed construction in the middle of the ball field.

Campers memories include bonfires on the cliff overlooking the bay; fireworks on the Fourth of July; strolls to Momauguin with all its amusements; annual carnivals; Big Bands and name crooners at the dance pavilion; and paddling kayaks through a herd of porpoises in the bay.

“When you come to the Grove, it’s like flicking a switch from winter to summer.” Flanagan said. “Everyone moves into a slower pace of life. You give up some of the comforts, but Grove residents don’t mind that. They are used to it.”

Today there are 70 cottages, or camps as they are called. Of that group, more than 38 have been there for 50 years or more. Four and five generations are represented in many of them.

“One of the biggest changes about the place has been cable television, since people tend to sit inside more at night.” Flanagan said. “But we still manage to get everyone out for events two or three times a week. We’re still dancing, playing cards and bingo, fishing, staging art shows and meeting on the beach.”

Dennis Mansfield would no doubt be amazed at the group dotting the Hill near his former hotel. A North Haven native and wagon maker, Mansfield stumbled across this wild area in the 1860s. Newspaper reports of his life say he planted trees, built a home, and was eventually inundated with summer ‘pleasure seekers’ who wanted food and lodging by the seashore.

Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that after he found the wind-swept, surf-tossed “Half Mile Island,” he actually lined up half a dozen backers from New Haven who helped him build his hotel, called Rocky Point, and develop the roads needed to access the peninsula. They had to cut through the wilderness from Short Beach Road to build a primitive road for the horse-drawn stages and wagons.

In 1877, he hired Donald Bartlett to help him run the place, and Bartlett’s family would later inherit the southern portion of the peninsula. His nephew, John Shepherd, also worked for him. When Mansfield died, Shepherd and his wife inherited the northern part of the property, which would become known as Shepherd’s Grove.

Mansfield apparently offered excellent accommodations for duck-hunting and fishing parties, followed by elaborate dinners. As his business grew all the various lodges, clubs, societies, church and Sunday school groups trouped to his door.

The New Haven Yacht Club was a big booster, as well. After a day on the Sound with their fleet of yachts valued at $275,000 in 1875, they would rendezvous off the mouth of the Farm River to enjoy rousing shore dinners at the hotel.

After Mansfield’s death in 1889, his wife Caroline continued to operate the business with the help of Charles Bartlett. Bartlett was a shrewd businessman who opened other attractions on the property. He encouraged the trolley company in New haven to run out to Momauguin in the 1890s, and to build a footbridge over Bradford Cove to allow day-trippers to enjoy Mansfield Grove.

The resort changed from an exclusive shore resort for sportsmen and boaters to a shore amusement area open to the public. A boathouse was built to provide rentals to visitors. This was later followed by a dance pavilion that brought in big-name bands and singers.

Soon, Bartlett built a bridge that could accommodate automobiles and then enlarged the dance pavilion. Entertainers such as Rudy Vallee and Cab Calloway played for East Haven audiences. During Prohibition, Barbados rum often found its way into the waters off the Grove's shore for use at the hotel and for delivery to customers in New Haven.

Following WWII, the dance pavilion was turned into Don’s Skating Rink and became an important part of the East Haven scene. Later, it would be torn down to make way for the Four Beaches Condominium complex that now sits adjacent to Mansfield Grove’s camp grounds.

When asked about the future of Mansfield Grove, Flanagan said, “I think it will still be going strong for many years to come. We have a good governing body, and a good social contract with one another. We’re pretty isolated and have been lucky in that the storms over the years haven’t affected us that much. I have life-long friends still there and so do my children. I don’t see things changing that much in the next 50 years.”