Fred L. Dill came to Carmel in 1933 after graduating with an Accounting Degree from Bentley College in Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Carl Dill, trained and drove trotting horses and had moved his family from Goshen, NY to work at the horse racing track which was part of Putnam County Fairgrounds located on a portion of this property. A faint outline of the old race track is still visible and is labeled “old racetrack” on the park map.

Upon completion of his first summer “swiping” horses and “mucking out” horse stalls, Fred decided the horse business was not for him. His dream was to be in business for himself. When working as office manager for American Oil in Carmel, he had the opportunity to manage Dain Supply and within three years was a partner in Dain and Dill. Eventually, Dain and Dill

became Lloyd Lumber, a cash and carry lumber yard which grew into a chain of 21 stores in NY and CT.

Fred had achieved his dream of becoming a successful businessman, and he enjoyed using his financial success to benefit the Putnam County Community. The Fred Dill Wildlife Sanctuary and Outdoor Education Center is the last project Fred worked on before his death in 2004 at the age of 91. This property brought Fred to Putnam County and it gave him great pleasure to think of the many people who would walk the trails, enjoy the tranquil woods, and learn about our local wildlife and history.

Location: Parking is located behind the Putnam Family and Community Sevices building and there is a trailhead on Fair Street just after the Hamlet of Carmel.