Premium Mill Conservation Area of the Premium River-Pine Brook Wetlands Complex
Dillon Road (10 acre conservation area), Larchmont, Westchester County, New York
65 acre wetlands complex

The conservation area lies on the borders of the Village of Larchmont, Town of Mamaroneck and City of New Rochelle. The area along with the Premium Mill Pond and Pryer Manor Marsh is part of the New York State designated "Significant Fish and Wildlife Habitat".

Directions:

Here's how I got there from Hastings-on-Hudson, NY.  Saw Mill River Parkway south to Cross County Parkway east to Hutchinson Parkway south; get off at the first exit (for Lincoln Avenue); at the stop sign turn right and then right again onto Lincoln Avenue;  drive 1.4 miles and turn right onto North Avenue; drive 0.5 of a mile and turn left onto Route 1 (Boston Post Road); drive 2.1 miles and turn right onto Dillon Road; drive 0.2 of a mile and turn left onto Pheasant Run and park on the right side of the road; walk back a short distance to the Conservation Area on the right opposite houses #'s 21 and 23 Dillon Road.

The marsh can also be seen from Lorenzen Field (from Route 1, Boston Post Road in Larchmont, turn east onto Lorenzen Street); park at ball field; the creek is on the right) and from Willow Park in Larchmont Village.

Another area nearby is Five Island Park. Take Leferve Lane off Route 1 in New Rochelle to the park. (Resident permit required to park at the park; no dogs allowed.)

Geology:

Premium River-Pine Brook Wetlands Complex consists of 13 acres in Mamaroneck and 9 acres in Larchmont.

History:

pre-Colonial period -- the Native Americans built stone and log dams to trap fish.

The Palmer family had a farmhouse here and operated a tidal grist mill, called the "Red Mill", near what is now known as the "Red Bridge".

1801 -- James Mott's three sons, Richard, Robert and Samuel, replaced their father's dam with one 700 meters farther down and fitted the mill with twelve runs of stone. It was called the Premium Mill and flour from the mill was exported to Europe.

1964  --  the town formed the Conservation Advisory Commission.

1969 -- the Town of Mamaroneck set aside 10 acres as a permanent conservation area.

1973  -- the town named a commission to maintain and protect the wetlands. 

1983 (September 14) --  the Town of Mamaroneck formally dedicated the area.

Habitats:

wetlands, salt marsh

Trails:

There is a board walk. Do not walk on the marsh unless the board walk is in place.

6/09/04.  My first stop was at Lorenzen Field (little league soccer and baseball fields) at the end of Lorenzen Road.  Did not stay long as the access area was very small.  Got back in the car and drove to Premium Mill Conservation Area.  This is a small park.  The first part is a planted garden with many native species.  The second part is a small woodland. And the third part is the salt marsh.  The trails are a little confusing but it is not that big of a deal since the area is small.  The paths are a bit overgrown and need some trimming of the bushes. 

PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney
* = date plant found in bloom, 6/09/04

There are a lot of invasive plants: multiflora rose, Norway maple and porcelainberry.

Trees:
Acer negundo (ash leaf maple)
Acer platanoides (Norway maple)
Acer saccharinum (silver maple)
Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven)
Fraxinus americana (white ash)
Gleditsia triacanthos (honey locust)
Juniperus virginiana (red cedar) planted
Morus alba (white mulberry)
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Pyrus sp. (crab apple)
Quercus rubra (red oak)
Salix sp. (willow )
Ulmus americana (American elm)

Shrubs and sub-shrubs:
Baccharis halimifolia (groundsel tree)
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry)
Cornus amomum (swamp dogwood) planted
Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive)
Ilex verticillata (winterberry)
Iva frutescens  (marsh elder)
Ligustrum sp. (privet) *
Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle)
Myrica pensylvanica (bayberry) planted
Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose) *
Sambucus canadensis (common elderberry) planted and natural
Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum)

Vines:
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (porcelainberry)
Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed) *
Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet)
Clematis terniflora (sweet autumn clematis)
Hedera helix (English ivy)
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) *
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)


Herbs:
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) *
Allium vineale (field garlic)
Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort)
Atriplex patula (orach)
Asparagus officinalis (wild asparagus)
Galinsoga sp. (gallant soldiers) *
Hibiscus moscheutos (swamp rose mallow) planted
Lepidium virginicum (wild pepper) *
Medicago lupulina (black medick) *
Melilotus sp. (sweet clover)
Oxalis sp. (yellow wood sorrel) *
Phytolacca americana (pokeweed)
Polygonum cespitosum (cespitose smartweed) *
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed)
Rumex crispus (curled dock)
Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade) *
Solidago sempervirens (seaside goldenrod)
Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion) *
Trifolium pratense (red clover) *
Trifolium repens (white clover) *
Veronica arvensis (corn speedwell) *
Viola sp. (violet)

Rushes:
Juncus gerardii (black grass)
Juncus tenuis (path rush)

Sedges:
Carex laxiflora type (loose-flowered type sedge)

Grasses:
Bromus inermis (smooth brome grass)
Dactylis glomerata (orchard grass)
Distichlis spicata (spike grass)
Phragmites australis (giant reed grass)
Spartina alterniflora (salt marsh hay cordgrass)
Spartina patens (salt meadow cordgrass)

Other:
sea lettuce

Source:

L.I.F.E. Center (Local Involvement for Environment). Larchmont-Mamaroneck Conservation Areas and Parks.

and http://www.hras.org/wtobird/premium.html