This area ceased to be farmed by the early 20th Century. Just before WW2 the Town of Glocester abandoned the dirt road through the area, which was known as the Cook Estate Driftway.In the 1980's the owners of the three large lots in the area sued the town for not maintaining the road as they wanted it opened up so the area could be developed for houses. The RI Superior Court found that the Town did not follow the proper procedure for abandoning the Cook Estate Driftway. Thus in the 1990's the Town spent tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars in legal fees, and surveys to figure out the original route of the driftway as much of it was overgrown, get wetland permits, and finally to improve the road for vehicle use.
The land owners had perc pipes installed and made plans for a major subdevelopment. However so much of the property was a wetland, or in a wetland buffer, that development might not be economically justified. Much of the center parcel was then logged for timber. Shortly thereafter the three parcels of land were offered to RI DEM which purchased several hundred acres with funds from Open Space Bonds.
The area has miles of stone walls as reminder of a time when much of this land was cleared for pastures and hayfields. And the remains of the Cook family farmhouse is still plainly visible from the Driftway. Several walking trails are in this area, some are blazed, and many are overgrown as they are so infrequently used. For people living in the area, this is a good place to ride a horse or take a walk.
Because this is a state hunting area, be sure to wear orange from mid September to the end of January.