Old Furnace State Park
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Old Furnace State Park
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 Swamp at Half Hill Brook. |
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| location | Killingly , Windham County , USA | |
| surface | 1.49 km² | |
| WDPA ID | 55557998 | |
| Geographical location | 41 ° 47 ' N , 71 ° 52' W | |
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| Setup date | 1918 | |
| administration | Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection, Connecticut | |
Old Furnace State Park is a state park in the US state of Connecticut in the area of the township of Killingly , Windham County . The park covers an area of 146 hectares (367 acres). The highest point rises to 119 m (390 ft) above sea level . All year round it is worthwhile to hike, hunt and fish.
geography
The park extends east of Interstate 195 , south of US Route 6, and north of Connecticut Route 695 . There used to be a steel furnace in the area . In the valley that accompanies the Fall Line , a geological discord that runs through the New England states, several ponds ( Ross Pond and others) were dammed for energy generation along Half Hill Brook . The Half Hillbrook runs from south to north and drained by the Fallbrook west to the Quinebaug River . Half Hill is the highest point on the park grounds . The closest state park to the west is Quinebaug Lake State Park Scenic Reserve about 2 km away.
history
The park is named after a steel furnace that was founded before the American Revolutionary War and operated until the mid-19th century, when the existing ore deposits were exhausted. Horseshoes for the Continental Army were made there during the War of Independence . The ironworks is on the Fall Line . Industrial establishments sprang up in places where potential energy could be used to power grain mills , sawmills, and textile factories.
Land use changed over the years and in the 1830s a mill was built in the park area. The blast furnace was preserved along with a forge. The blast furnace was built according to the construction method customary at the time and the ore was mined on site in swamps and moors. Coal was produced in piles from the local forests. Limestone and gabbro were used as a river . Hot air was blown into the furnace through large water wheels. Horseshoes and steel parts were made for the nearby cotton mills .
William Pike was the last owner of the industrial area. In 1909 he sold it to the Killingly Township. First a municipal park was set up as the "Old Furnace" and the area was sold to the state in 1918. Originally the park was only 1.5 hectares (4.5 acres). The area was greatly enlarged by the connection with Ross Camp in 1964 and today covers 146 hectares.
ecology
The primeval forests were cut down for charcoal and wood production. Ore was dug out of the ground and land was cleared for agricultural purposes. Since the end of industrial use, the forests have recovered and there are only few indications that indicate their former use. The man-made ponds have even enriched the landscape. The foundations that still exist are now covered with forests of deciduous and perennial trees such as hemlocks , pitch pines , Weymouth pines , oaks , beeches , maples , birches and hickories . There are several creeks and marshland, these are ideal locations for water lilies , skunk cabbage and cattails . However, some invasive species are also a cause for concern. Common loosestrife and reeds suffocate native plants.
free time activities
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The Old Furnace State Park is open all year round for hiking, hunting, fishing and boating. The 3 mi (4.8 km) Connecticut Forest and Park Association Blue-Blazed Old Furnace Trail begins at the parking lot on US Route 6 north of the park. The trail crosses Furnace Brook and runs along several ponds before ascending 60 m (200 ft) to reveal parts of nearby Rhode Island from a cliff .
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.
- ^ State Parks and Forests : Funding, Recruiting, and Referrals. (PDF)
- ^ US Geological Survey. The National Map
- ↑ Old Furnace State Park . In: State Parks and Forests . Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- ↑ a b c Old Furnace State Park . Killingly Conservation Commission. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
Web links
- Old Furnace State Park Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection