03/22/2026
Elias Woodruff settled a plot of land just north of Plattsburgh City in the early part of the 19th century. It was along what is now known as State Rt 9. Adjacent was a body of water that opened seasonally to Lake Champlain letting small fish to eat and grow in what is now the 98 acre Woodruff Pond. Silas farmed the land, after clearing it by hand, oxen, horse and goat. He planted Maple and Apple trees along land boundaries to provide sugar and fruit for mash and pies. He planted corn, grain and grass for livestock. Implements are still in place with trees growing in them where they were last used.
At one point the parcel north of the pond was used by the military for a shooting range using the pond as target and buffer. That parcel is now the Plattsburgh Rod & Gun club and is still active.
Sometime over 100 years plus Silas and ancestors stopped farming and the land reverted to wildlife and forestry. The property became a lovers lane, a site for ice fishing and for a place to abandon early 1900 cars and at least one Ford (early 1900s) pickup. The Grid used the southern border to bring electric lines to Lake Champlain to supply electricity to Vermont and other states. Each year a returning Osprey family builds a nest. Occasionally, it -the nest makes it through the season. The land itself has beavers, fox, birds, canines, cats and occasional bear, nesting turtles , including very large snapping turtles, raccoons, skunks, woodchucks, migratory geese and other fowls, frogs, flora, fauna, mushrooms, lichen, mosses, birds of many types, trees, brush, grasses and so much more life in canopy and underground and in the pond.
In the 1950s someone built several small cabins on the ridge, overlooking the pond some 30 feet below in an elevation drop. Used, it seems mostly by Canadian tourists. This is an educated guess from the 1950s Canadian coins recovered. There was a small house on the property 29 years ago. An elderly woman in her 80s? Stopped by once and said she grew up there as a young child. She also said she went to the one room school across the road (Rt9). The school building is still there, now a one family, just south of Elf’s Farm. No other information was forthcoming.
Now new stewards are working to develop the land into a Reserve for long term beneficial use for humans and all the current constituents. Taxes need to be paid. So how do we accomplish this? We are asking for community ideas and concepts and potentially financial assistance. Ideas floated include Senior housing, walking paths, wedding venue, micro resort, hotel, camp sites (glamping) farm, and more. Do you have an idea, opinion? Please @ # share it. The owners would like an environmentally sensitive, sound and community backed concept(s) that helps bring the natural beauty of Woodruff Pond to the greater community.
