Hydrants and History in North Greenwich (Solomon Mead Farm, North Greenwich)

You don't see these too often. There are at least two hydrants on what was the Solomon Mead Farm in North Greenwich. While spring cleaning the family cemetery off Cliffdale Road we found two of these. 

The one pictured above is located near where the Benjamin Mead III House stood at the corner of Riversville and Cliffdale roads. 

These were installed at a time when fire protection was the responsibility of individual land owners, especially at a time when most of Greenwich's backcountry consisted of farms and estates. You were left on your own should your house, barn or whatever outbuilding was in flames. We suspect that under the sod are underground talks where rainwater was stored.