History of Maple Court

Conversion from Company Homes to Private Homes

The Ensign-Bickford Company (EBCo) no longer required the extensive real estate it acquired in earlier years for manufacturing in the Farmington River Valley and as part of a major corporate reorganization in the late 1960's and early 1970's, Ensign-Bickford Realty Corporation (EBR) was formed as a subsidiary of Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc. This new subsidiary took title to all EB Co land and buildings in Simsbury and Avon.

Continuing a trend started in the early 1970's with the formation of Ensign-Bickford Realty Corporation in 1969 and transfer of company properties to it, Ensign-Bickford Realty announced plans in June 1976 to sell the company owned houses in Maple Court and three other properties along Old Mill Lane which for more than 50 years had been owned by Ensign Bickford Company and occupied by its employees. During part of the 1970's several of the homes were vacant and not rented. Maple Court was the last of the entire neighborhoods to be sold and followed Pine Hill (November 1974), Davey-Bickford (December 1974), and Hazelmeadow Place I (July 1976).

The homes were offered for sale when in became obvious to management that corporate ownership of the dwellings was no longer an economically viable investment and not necessary for the plant's operation. Initially, current residents and employees were offered the opportunity to purchase the homes. Several did. The realty company made $85,000 in improvements to the properties to reside and roof them and made other necessary repairs. Ensign-Bickford Realty eventually sold all but 4 of the homes to existing residents or company employees. The remaining properties were sold on a first come, first served basis to members of the public as a fair set price determined by an appraiser. The first home which sold was 90 West St for $37,000 in June 1977. Six more properties sold in July, August and September 1977 before 2 additional properties sold in November and December, 1977. Finally, in April 1978 the last house was sold. The average sale price of the homes was $37,409 (range $31,960-$46,500). Some thirty-three years later, three sets of homeowners which purchased the homes originally from E.B. Realty still live in the neighborhood. Two of these three households were Ensign-Bickford employees when they purchased them.

Two advertisements which appeared in the Hartford Courant in June 1977 reveal the set asking price of $46,500 for at least one of the homes, 5 Maple Court. The real estate ad for an open house boasts about 5 Maple Court as being a spacious solidly built "treed" colonial starter home with a porch, fireplace, full tiled basement with workbench, and an attic with a forth bedroom. Like this house, all homes in Maple Court had set asking prices. This house was one of the four homes which was originally purchased by non-Ensign-Bickford employees. The original buyers still own and live in the home, today, thirty-three years later.

A homeowner's association, Maple Court Home Owners' Association, Inc., was formed in 1976 and incorporated August 4, 1977 as a Non-stock Connecticut Corporation to maintain the grounds, roads, and common areas and protect property values. The common property, namely the two common garage structures, private road, and two parcels of land totaling approximately 0.22 acres, were purchased for $1.00 and transferred into the homeowners' association name. According to the article "ZBA Grants Subdivision Plea" (Hartford Courtant, 18 June 1976: 39A) Mr. Edward Goldberg, vice president-treasurer of Ensign Bickford Realty, stated that Maple Court was the last big subdivision being requested by the realty firm for zoning variances.

Shortly thereafter in 1978, the Realty Company developed the Old Mill Lane Town home condominiums behind Maple Court on land occupied by a meadow and farm which abuts a golf course and Ensign Pond.

During the early 1980's the Maple Court Home Owners Association tried unsuccessfully to form a special tax district ("Board to Mull Joining Transit District" Harford Courtant 24 Sept 1980: B4A). The plans for the tax district were abandoned because the neighborhood did not have an economy of scale to make hiring an attorney to form the tax district a viable option. The town also opposed it over concerns that snow plows and town equipment would not be able to fit easily on the narrow 1920's streets. Later, during the mid-1980's the bridge and widening of West Street occurred and the State of Connecticut was awarded an easement for a small section of the common property to construct the bridge over the brook which feeds Mill Pond from Ensign Pond and to allow for the widening of West Street which is a Connecticut Route 167. Many of the West Street property owners also provided property reluctantly to the State and lost their "front door" steps to their properties from West Street. Today, all homeowners access their properties via Maple Court and most through their back doors. Only one home retained the front steps from West Street.

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