William Guppy of England, came to the Skaneateles area in the early 1850's. There he married Ann Carrington, also an immigrant from England. They built a house and started a dairy farm about 80 acres in size on the west side of Gully Road. William and Ann had eight children. Ann died in 1881 and William died the following year. The farm was abandoned and nature slowly began to reclaim the land.
In January of 2001 the Town of Skaneateles acquired the Guppy property from Kathleen Evans. Then Town Supervisor Paul W. "Bill" Pavlus and the members of the Town Board wanted to preserve this undeveloped area of the town for future generations. They envisioned a nature trail so hikers could view Guppy Falls and learn about this interesting area.
Hunting is permitted in the conservation area. During deer hunting season visitors to the area must dress appropriately, wearing a hat or other article of clothing in the color of Hunter or Blaze Orange. The hunting seasons are prominently posted at the parking area.