Tell Tale Apples

Franklin, CT
Planted by Irish Tinker
Rated Easy

This story has fascinated me since I first heard about it in my early teens! In 1699, Micah Rood settled in the Peck Hollow section of the small town of Franklin, CT. Micah was considered a friendly, hard working man. One December evening a peddler on his regular route through Franklin stopped by Micah Rood’s farm in hopes to sell him some of his goods. Rood not being able to afford the dazzling trinkets reportedly had words with the peddler, became enraged and then stabbed the salesman, burying him beneath an apple tree. Rood became very quiet and stayed mostly to himself. Word spread quickly of the peddlers disappearance and all fingers pointed right to his last known stop, Micah Rood’s farm! As the weather turned warm the blossoms of the tree bloomed but this year instead of the white they had always been and the white that all the other surrounding tree blossoms were, the tree which the peddler had been buried under blossomed a bright red! In the fall the apples looked just as shiny as ever but when two youths bit into the apples at the core was a red globule. The next day the elders of the town went to the farm & split 1 dozen apples open and each had the same red globule. Rood seemed to lose his desire to live and let his farm go into ruins. Town records show that in 1717 "October ye first day. Ye society voted yt. each family shall give Micah Rood a peck of corn for sweeping ye meeting house one year." He died a pauper in December 1728.

From route 32 in Franklin keep your eyes open for the sign for the Congregational Church and Town Hall. Turn here onto Meeting House Hill Rd. Follow passed the little white church. The road turns to the right and then crosses railroad tracks. Park just over the bridge in the turn around. Cross the street and walk down the embankment by the river. Cross the stone dam. Continue to the large flat stone standing on it’s side. Hold the kids hands and look at the great falls. Take a reading of 345*. Walk in that direction over the flat stones. On the 9th stone turn and walk down the little path on the left. Walk to the stone wall. Walk through the opening in the wall that has the large log to it’s right. Turn left. 4 steps passed the small birch tree, low in the wall behind a small black rock you will find the tell tale apples!