Haystack Mountain Tower is a stone observation tower at the summit of 1,680-foot (510 m) Haystack Mountain[1] and the chief feature of Haystack Mountain State Park, a public recreation area in Norfolk, Connecticut.[3] Built in 1929, the tower and the land on which it stands were donated by Ellen Battell Stoeckel. The tower provides views of three states and Long Island Sound. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[4]
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  Haystack Mountain State Park Location in Connecticut  Haystack Mountain State Park Haystack Mountain State Park (the United States) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Norfolk, Connecticut, United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 42°00′16″N 73°12′29″W / 42.00444°N 73.20806°W[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Area | 292 acres (118 ha)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 1,680 ft (510 m)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Administered by | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Designation | Connecticut state park | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Official website  | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Description and history
editHaystack Mountain State Park is located just north of the village center of Norfolk, with its main access road, Stoeckel Drive, beginning on Connecticut Route 272. The 1.3 mile long paved road ends in a small parking lot at the base of summit of Haystack Mountain, where the tower stands. It is 50 feet (15 m) in height and 22 feet (6.7 m) in diameter, and is built primarily of dark grey granite that was quarried at the site. The stone is randomly laid, with deeply recessed mortaring. The interior has concrete steps leading upward to two intermediate landings, with a metal stairway leading from the second landing up to a concrete observation platform, which is set under a conical roof. The elevation of the second landing is indicated on the exterior by a stone string course. The observation area has eight openings providing views in all directions. With clear weather, areas in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are visible, with views as far south as Long Island Sound possible.[4]
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The tower was designed by Ehrick K. Rossiter of Rossiter & Muller, and is a significant local example of medieval Tudor Revival architecture. It was built in 1929 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[4] It cost approximately $50,000 and was donated by Mrs. Ellen Battell Stoeckel, in memory of her husband, Carl Stoeckel.[5] Mrs. Stoeckel's donation also included the initial tracts of land that make up the state park.[4]
Activities and amenities
editThe state park offers opportunities for hiking, picnicking, and cross-country skiing.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Haystack Mountain". 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, p. A-2, January 23, 2014, retrieved August 15, 2024
- ^ a b "Haystack Mountain State Park". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c d David F. Ransom (June 1, 1993). "Haystack Mountain Tower". National Register of Historic Places Registration. National Park Service. and Accompanying 7 photos, from 1993 (see captions page 9 of text document)
- ^ Citizen Reader, "Haystack Mountain," The Hartford Courant, 1929. Carl Stoeckel was the son of Gustave Stoeckel.
External links
edit
- Haystack Mountain State Park Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Haystack Mountain State Park Map Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection