What you saw is most likely the European chestnut. There are somewhat common. The American Chestnut was wiped out by disease, as others have said. The interesting thing about the disease is that it only kills the trees once they reach maturity and start producing nuts. Because they live several years before reaching maturity, it allows the roots to survive and keep regrowing. They usually never get bigger than 5-8 feet high. I live near Bear Brook State Park and have seen a number of the immature American chestnuts.