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Hilltown Land Trust

Dedicated to protecting the working lands, native habitats and rural beauty of the Hilltowns since 1986

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You are here: Home / Announcements / History and Legacy

History and Legacy

March 22, 2022

Margaret Waggoner was a Renaissance woman, with a passion for many topics including history, poetry, physics, and the natural world. A retired physics professor and Dean of Smith College, Margaret lived in Goshen for 20 years, and worked actively to preserve the town’s history as Chair of the Historical Commission and President of the Williams-Boltwood House Trust.

Margaret cared deeply for wildlife and knew she wanted to conserve her land, which includes extensive wetlands and sensitive wildlife habitat. She was in the process of doing so with Hilltown Land Trust when she passed away in September of 2021. Because she knew it might not be completed in her lifetime, she included language in her will to ensure the land would be conserved.

In addition to wildlife habitat, Margaret valued the peace she found through quiet contemplation in her woods and wanted others to experience the same on her trails. Thanks to her generous gift, people and wildlife will be able to enjoy her land in perpetuity.


To learn more about the ways you can leave a green legacy for The Hilltowns, visit the Green Legacy Circle page on our website or contact Katie Carr: katie@hilltownlandtrust.org or (413) 628-4485, ext. 5.

Margaret Waggoner, seen from behind, walks along a path in the woods using a walking stick. She is dress in jeans and a red top with a red vest. Next to her is a long rock wall, and she is surrounded by autumn leaves on the trees.
Margaret in her Woods

Filed Under: Announcements, Newsletter, Planned Giving

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iNaturalist Bioblitz: Biodiversity Monitor Training
iNaturalist Bioblitz: Biodiversity Monitor Training
Jul 19th, 2025    
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
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Session 1: Summer Botany Contribute to community science and learn about ecology in a supportive environment at HLT’s new biodiversity monitoring program series. Whether you’re [...]
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Events on Jul 19th, 2025
iNaturalist Bioblitz: Biodiversity Monitor Training
iNaturalist Bioblitz: Biodiversity Monitor Training
19 Jul 25
  • About
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    • Affiliation with The Trustees
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    • Open Positions
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    • Agricultural Preservation Restrictions
    • Financial Incentives
    • Donating or Selling Land
    • Estate Planning
    • Landowner & Town Resources
  • Properties
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      • Big View Trail
      • Bradley
      • Breckenridge
      • Clary Hill
      • Conwell
      • Hilltown Boulders
      • Historic Dam Trail
      • Locke’s Loop Trail
      • Robert’s Meadow Brook Trail
      • Round Top Hill
      • Stevens
      • Two Mamas Farm Waterfall Trail
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© 2025 Hilltown Land Trust | Hilltown Land is a 501c3 nonprofit organization | Est. 1986