Speaking of U.S. Presidents Visiting the Area...Three Came to the McLean Game Refuge

Senator George P. McLean gave to the Simsbury and Granby area an extraordinary legacy through his preservation of 3,200 acres of abandoned farms and wild land.  In these woods, he found respite from the pressures of state and national politics where his career included U.S. Attorney General for Connecticut (1892-1896); Governor of Connecticut (1901-1903) and U.S. Senator (1911-1917 and 1918-1929).

McLean hunted and fished this land, sharing it with Presidents Coolidge, Taft and Hoover, along with Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.  McLean also relied upon the woodcraft and wisdom of Amos George, a Pequot a Native American who served as land caretaker from 1912 until 1947. 

For more information, visit www.McLeanGameRefuge.org. Today there are more than 4,400 acres to explore. You can find maps for the many walking trails.