History of Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf came by its name because its shape reminded early hunters and pioneers of the sugar loaves common in those days. A Swiss explorer, in 1707, sketched the earliest known map of the mountain. A written account, penned five years later, described a plain atop the mountain and the delicious chestnuts grown by the trees on its flanks. General Braddock, commander of British troops during the French and Indian War, marched his men past the mountain in 1755. Northern and Southern forces alternated in posting lookouts at its summit during the Civil War. Brave wounded and dying soldiers were hospitalized in a log cabin that still stands at the mountain’s foot.

Sugarloaf’s glory days are not all in the past. It has a bright and useful future. Today it is available year-round to the public. Present and future generations may continue to enjoy its natural beauty in all seasons and weather. This was made possible by the vision and persistence of a remarkable couple, Gordon and Louise Strong. For years prior to their deaths, they purposefully gained ownership of the many tracts making up the present property. They created a private organization, Stronghold, Incorporated, in 1946, to ensure that the mountain would continue to serve their purpose of making natural beauty available to all.

Nearly a quarter-million men, women and children visit Sugarloaf Mountain annually to enjoy its scenic vistas, to picnic at its overlooks, and to hike and ride horseback along its miles of trails. Others come to observe and photograph its plant and animal life. Stronghold Trustees are involved in the program to restore the once-plentiful American chestnut trees, which were swept from the mountain’s flanks by an alien blight in the early 1900’s.