Bennett's Pond State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bennett's Pond State Park |
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Stream from Bennett's Pond in winter
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 Bennett's Pond State Park
Location in Connecticut
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| Location | Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States |
| Area | 460 acres (190 ha) |
| Elevation | 525 ft (160 m) |
| Designation | Connecticut state park |
| Established | 2002 |
| Administrator | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
| Website | Bennett's Pond State Park |
Bennett's Pond State Park is a fun outdoor spot in Ridgefield, Connecticut. It's a great place to explore nature! The park has a big 56-acre pond, which is where it gets its name. You can find many miles of trails here for hiking and biking.
This park is connected to Wooster Mountain State Park. A popular path called the Ives Trail also runs through it. Besides hiking, you can go fishing in the pond. During certain times of the year, bow hunting is allowed. The park is looked after by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Discovering Bennett's Pond's Past
Who Owned This Land Before?
A long time ago, in 1914, a wealthy man named Louis D. Conley bought this huge piece of land. He was known for making tinfoil! He called his 1500-acre property "Outpost Farm." Mr. Conley loved trees and plants. He started a large plant nursery on his estate. It became one of the best nurseries on the East Coast of the United States.
Mr. Conley passed away when he was 56 years old. But his nursery continued to operate for another 15 years. Today, you can still see many types of trees in the park that grew from his nursery. Most other signs of his old estate are gone now.
How Did It Become a Park?
In the 1970s, a big computer company called IBM owned the land. They tore down Mr. Conley's large 34-room house in 1974. Later, in 1997, IBM sold a big part of the land to a company that wanted to build a golf course, hotels, and condos.
But the people in Ridgefield didn't want these big buildings. They fought against the plans in court. Finally, in 2001, the town bought 458 acres of the land. They used a special process called eminent domain. This means the government can buy private land for public use, even if the owner doesn't want to sell.
With help from a two-million-dollar grant, the state of Connecticut then bought the land from the town. This is how Bennett's Pond State Park was created in 2002. It became a public park for everyone to enjoy!
