▁an ▁a venue , ▁a ▁mile ▁in ▁length , ▁reaching ▁quite ▁to ▁the ▁waters ▁edge . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁he ▁has ▁un ited ▁plant ations ▁of ▁fruit ▁trees , ▁a ▁rich ▁garden , ▁and ▁other ▁interesting ▁objects , ▁so ▁combined ▁as ▁to ▁make ▁this ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁pleasant est ▁retre ats ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Rog ers ▁brought ▁in ▁Royal ▁L . ▁Gay ▁from ▁Staff ord ▁Spr ings , ▁CT , ▁to ▁manage ▁the ▁estate . ▁Gay ▁was ▁Staff ord ' s ▁select man ▁and ▁tre as urer ▁for ▁years ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁representative ▁to ▁the ▁State ▁Legisl ature . ▁When ▁Mos es ▁Rog ers ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 5 , ▁he ▁left ▁his ▁estate ▁to ▁two ▁sons , ▁a ▁daughter , ▁and ▁several ▁grand children , ▁brothers ▁and ▁nep he ws , ▁who ▁admin ister ed ▁the ▁estate ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁century . ▁The ▁m ansion ▁house ▁and ▁surrounding ▁buildings ▁were ▁le ased ▁to ▁Isaac ▁B rag g ▁for ▁$ 4 0 0 ▁a ▁year . ▁B rag g ▁was ▁told ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁garden ▁and ▁spec imen ▁plant ings , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁house , ▁known ▁as ▁" The ▁Park ." ▁B rag g ▁ran ▁a ▁board ing ▁school ▁on ▁the ▁estate ▁until ▁it ▁fell ▁into ▁dis rep air . ▁New ▁ten ant ▁S . E . ▁Lawrence ▁restored ▁the ▁property ▁which ▁became ▁a ▁popular ▁pic nic ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁months , ▁pe aking ▁on ▁a ▁day ▁in