Wharton Brook State Park is a public recreation area located off U.S. Route 5 in the towns of North Haven and Wallingford, Connecticut.[3] Activities in the 96-acre (39 ha) state park center on Allen Brook Pond, a 5-acre (2.0 ha) pond that empties into Wharton Brook.[4] The park is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
| Wharton Brook State Park | |
|---|---|
 Allen Brook Pond in Wharton Brook SP at dusk | |
  Wharton Brook State Park  Wharton Brook State Park | |
| Location | North Haven and Wallingford, Connecticut, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°25′38″N 72°50′08″W / 41.42722°N 72.83556°W[1] |
| Area | 96 acres (39 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 26 ft (7.9 m)[1] |
| Established | 1918[3] |
| Administered by | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
| Designation | Connecticut state park |
| Website | Official website  |
History
editThe state park was established as a precursor of the modern highway rest stop, with picnic grounds, a camping area, and services for automobiles. It opened on August 1, 1919, as the first of what the State Park Commission intended to be a series of "Wayside Parks" created in the more heavily traveled areas of the state.[5]
On May 15, 2018, an EF1 tornado that transitioned into a microburst caused significant damage to the park, forcing officials to close the park. It reopened in 2019.[6]
Activities and amenities
editThe park offers fishing, swimming, picnicking, and several short footpaths totaling less than a mile in distance.[7] The park is one of the state's designated trout parks that are stocked with trout on opening day and at other times of the year.[8] Great blue herons and other wildlife may be found in the park.
References
edit- ^ a b "Wharton Brook". 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-4. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
- ^ a b "Wharton Brook State Park". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Allen Brook Pond" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. September 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- ^ Report of the State Park and Forest Commission to the Governor 1920 (Report). Hartford, Conn.: State of Connecticut. December 28, 1920. p. 27. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- ^ Ceneviva, Alex (January 14, 2019). "Wharton Brook State Park reopens, Sleeping Giant State Park to reopen in Spring after 2018 storms". News 8 WTNH. Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Wharton Brook State Park" (PDF). South Central Regional Council of Governments. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ^ "Trout Parks". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. April 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
External links
edit- Wharton Brook State Park Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Wharton Brook State Park Map Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection