Country School to be Added to Connecticut Freedom Trail

On Friday, November 14, Country School will be officially added to the Connecticut Freedom Trail, joining other significant sites including Underground Railroad safe houses, locations associated with the 1839 Amistad case, and Civil Rights Movement landmarks. The Connecticut Freedom Trail documents and designates sites that embody the struggle toward freedom and human dignity while celebrating the accomplishments of Connecticut's African American community.

The designation honors the remarkable story of Charles Mason, a private in the Connecticut 29th Regiment during the Civil War. In 1865, Mason purchased 13 acres of land "at a place called Opening Hill" from a white landowner, property that now houses Country School's campus. The school's administrative building, known as the "Farmhouse," likely stands on the site of Mason's original home.

The land transaction itself tells a compelling story of post-war recognition and possibly delayed justice. On November 30, 1865, Mason initially paid landowner Harvey Elliot $1 for the property, but Elliot then paid Mason $275, perhaps in recognition of Mason's military service or to compensate for wages that Mason and other members of the 29th Regiment had been promised but never received, as documented in Isaac Hill's memoir of his experience with the regiment.

Mason's time on the property represents both the hopes and challenges faced by Black veterans returning from the Civil War. An 1868 map by F.W. Beers shows "C. Mason" residing at the corner of Opening Hill Road and Blinnshed Road. Local oral histories paint a picture of Mason, known affectionately as "Uncle Josh," weaving baskets "of the brightest hues" for neighborhood children. The 1870 census corroborates these memories, listing Charles Mason as a "Basket maker" and showing that his wife Ellen and their five children lived with him on the Opening Hill Road property.

As a member of the elite 29th Regiment, Mason was part of a group of men fighting for the abolition of slavery and the advancement of freedom for African American people. His property represents both the possibilities that came with land ownership for many Black veterans returning from war and the disappointment many faced when obstacles prevented them from achieving their dreams.

The site embodies the Connecticut Freedom Trail's mission to honor "homes and/or buildings associated with the heritage and movement towards freedom of Connecticut's African American communities." Mason's story is integral to both our state's and nation's history during this pivotal period of American freedom and civil rights. Since 1995, the Connecticut Freedom Trail has commemorated the fight for emancipation from slavery, honoring the courageous African American individuals who paved the way for future generations.