Hopeville Pond State Park
Hopeville Pond State Park | |
---|---|
Location | Griswold, New London, Connecticut, United States |
Coordinates | 41°36′27″N 71°55′08″W / 41.60750°N 71.91889°W[1] |
Area | 554 acres (224 ha)[2] |
Elevation | 213 ft (65 m)[1] |
Established | 1938 |
Governing body | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
Website | Hopeville Pond State Park |
Hopeville Pond State Park is a public recreation area located on
History
Before European colonization, the
- Village
In 1711, Stephen Gates was granted 14 acres of land lying within the modern state park's boundaries. Gates constructed a gristmill and sawmill, inundating the waterfall on the Pachaug River in the process. In 1818, Elizah Abel added a woolen mill to the site. Later, John Slater purchased the three mills and constructed a satinet mill which he named the "Hope Mill," the village, pond and state park names all having subsequently derived from his inspiration.[3]
By 1840, Hopeville was a "thriving village" according to Daniel L. Phillips, author of Griswold - a history.[4] On November 4, 1850, a meeting was held to discuss the construction of a house of worship.[4]: 143 A church was erected for $1,700 and dedicated on December 12, 1852.[4]: 144 The village of Hopeville reached its peak in 1860 and was well known for its production of woolens.[3] In 1881, the mill, then owned by Edwin Lanthrop and Company, was destroyed in a fire and not rebuilt. The Ashland Cotton Company would later acquire the property.[4]: 227 In 1900, the church and four houses also burned.[4]: 227 In 1908, the original gristmill from 1711 was also destroyed by fire.[3] Sometime before 1917, the Ashland Cotton Company erected a dam on the site and created the 145 acre reservoir; the dam was used to generate electrical power for its mills in Jewett City.[4]: 227
- Avery House
The Avery House, also known as Hopeville Pond Park House, is a 20 feet (6.1 m) by 40 feet (12 m), the two-story central-chimney Colonial dating to circa 1770. The central chimney is on a stone base and has a built-in root cellar. In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) rehabilitated the property for park use. The alterations in the house changed the traditional five-room first floor plan by eliminating the keeping rooms and the removal of the kitchen fireplace. It retains much of its original door frames and wrought-iron latch hardware. After the rehabilitation of the property, the Avery House became the Hopeville Park manager's residence. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[5]
- Park
The Civilian Conservation Corps, encamped in nearby Pachaug State Forest, developed the state park in the 1930s.[6] Their efforts included adapting the Avery House for park use.[5] Hopeville Pond was designated as a state park in 1938.[3]
Activities
The park's recreational activities include biking, hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and swimming. The park's campground features 80 campsites.
References
- ^ a b "Hopeville Pond State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Appendix A: List of State Parks and Forests" (PDF). State Parks and Forests: Funding. Staff Findings and Recommendations. Connecticut General Assembly. January 23, 2014. p. A-2. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Hopeville Pond State Park". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. June 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Phillip, Daniel Lyon (1929). Griswold - A History. New Haven, Conn.: Turtle, Morehouse & Taylor Company. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
- ^ a b Mary E. McCahon (June 1985). "Hopeville Pond Park House". Connecticut Historical Association Historic Resources Inventory. National Park Service. and accompanying photo, exterior, undated
- ^ "CCC Legacy Journal" (PDF). CCC Legacy. March–April 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
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(help) - ^ "2016 Connecticut Angler's Guide" (PDF). State of Connecticut. p. 36. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
- ISBN 9780762702053.
- ^ "Hopeville Pond, Connecticut, USA". Lake Lubbers. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
- ISBN 978-0897329644.
External links
- Hopeville Pond State Park Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Hopeville Pond State Park Map Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection