The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and the town of Windsor have partnered to permanently conserve more than 300 acres in Bertie County for its environmental and historic significance.
The Wilmington-based conservation organization announced last week that the Hoggard’s Millpond purchase was finalized in December 2024 and then transferred to the town.
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The 313.66 acres are northward of where Greens Cross and Hoggard’s Mill roads intersect, just a few miles north of where U.S. highways 13 and 17 meet in Windsor.
Critical for flood control purposes, the land features 2.2 miles of frontage along each side of Hoggard’s Mill Run, also known as Hoggard’s Mill, the largest tributary of the Cashie River, according to the land trust. In addition, there are mature cypress forest, bottomland hardwoods, upland ridges that offer habitat for bats, colonial waterbirds, and waterfowl, as well as crucial habitat for anadromous fish.
From the historical perspective, the first Bertie County seat was established on the site in the early 1720s, now known as the “Lost Town of Cashy.” The county seat relocated to Windsor in 1774. The site is also the location of what is believed to be the first millpond built in the state, which operated from the late 1700s until about 1934, according to the land trust.
“Importantly, the dam and water control structure on the property drained 22 square miles and controlled water flow extending 8 miles upstream, making the property of utmost importance for flood control purposes,” according to the land trust.
Windsor Mayor Lewis Hoggard said in a statement that the town was excited by the collaborative effort with Coastal Land Trust to acquire, preserve and potentially restore the Hoggard Mill property in Bertie County.
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The town plans to create and manage a public nature and historic park on 28 designated acres. The remaining 286 acres are preserved under conservation restrictions held by the state to permanently protect the property’s natural, historic, and cultural features.
“This unique property also offers a small step forward in the ongoing flood management process of the Cashie River and its impact on the Town of Windsor and surrounding areas in Bertie County as well as future recreational use and enjoyment by our citizens,” Hoggard said.
The previous owners, the Thompson family, began discussions in 2016 with the Coastal Land Trust about conserving the property.
“Our father, Harry Lewis Thompson would be thrilled to know this mill pond property will be preserved for generations to come,” his children, JeNell Dilday, Pat Taylor, and Vic Thompson said in a statement. “It was always his desire to restore the property into a fully functioning mill pond to assist with restocking the river herring fishery as well as provide a place for people to come and enjoy its natural beauty – and at the same time assist the Town of Windsor with possible flooding containment. The Thompson family is proud to be able to fulfill his wishes.”
Grants from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service North American Wetlands Conservation Act, a North Carolina Environmental Enhancement, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Inc., and the town funded the purchase.
“After years of dedicated effort and collaboration with the Town of Windsor and the Thompson family, we are proud to have secured the permanent protection of this treasured landscape,” Land Trust Executive Director Harrison Marks said. “Together, we are ensuring that this special place will continue to inspire and benefit future generations, preserving both the natural and cultural heritage of Bertie County.”
