Fox Point State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fox Point State Park |
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A view of the Delaware River from Fox Point State Park.
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 Fox Point State Park
Location in Delaware
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| Location | New Castle, Delaware, United States |
| Area | 108 acres (44 ha) |
| Established | 1995 |
| Named for | S. Marston Fox |
| Governing body | Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control |
| Website | Fox Point State Park |
Fox Point State Park is a cool state park in Delaware. It covers 108 acres right along the Delaware River in New Castle County. This park is special because it was built on land that used to be a polluted industrial site.
The park opened in 1995. It was transformed thanks to a big effort led by S. Marston Fox and the Fox Point Civic Association. They worked to clean up the area and turn it into a beautiful public space. Fox Point State Park is open all year, from 8:00 AM until the sun goes down. You can enjoy biking, walking trails, picnic spots, a playground, and even places for volleyball and horseshoes. The park is easy to get to, just off Interstate 495. It's also the starting point for Delaware's Coastal Heritage Greenway.
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History of Fox Point State Park
The idea for Fox Point State Park came from one person's dream. S. Marston Fox spent the last 25 years of his life trying to change a piece of land along the Delaware River. This land was originally created by the Pennsylvania Railroad. They filled in parts of the riverbank to make more space for factories.
Mr. Fox started his efforts in 1958. He wanted to stop the filling and turn the land into a public park. It took a long time, but the four-mile stretch of shoreline was finally given to New Castle County in the late 1970s. Mr. Fox passed away in 1982. After that, David Ennis and Eugene Snell from the Fox Point Civic Association continued his mission. The state of Delaware got the land in 1990 and began cleaning up the polluted site.
The soil at Fox Point State Park had been dirty from industrial waste and sewage. Environmental experts had to figure out how to build the park safely. They used money from Delaware's Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act. A common way to deal with waste at landfills is called a "cap system." This plan involved putting a strong plastic layer over 15 acres of the polluted land. Then, layers of clean dirt, sand, gravel, and topsoil were placed both on top and underneath this protective plastic layer.
The park grew even bigger after more cleanup work in 2008. In 2003, a big storm called Tropical Storm Henri caused flooding in a nearby neighborhood called Glenville. Many homes there were ruined. The state worked with the Federal Highway Administration to remove a lot of clean soil from Glenville. This helped turn Glenville into wetlands to prevent future floods. The clean soil was then brought to Fox Point. It was used to cover even more land in the park. This project won two awards: Delaware's Governors Excellence Award and the Federal Highway Administration's Environmental Excellence Award.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control still watches over and protects the environment at Fox Point State Park. Some parts of the park that haven't been cleaned yet are fenced off. Visitors cannot enter these areas. However, more of the park will be cleaned and opened to the public in the future.
Fun Things to Do at Fox Point State Park
Fox Point State Park is located right on the Delaware River. This means you get amazing views of the river and all the activity on it. You can see the skyline of Philadelphia to the north. To the south, you can spot the huge Delaware Memorial Bridge. The park is close to the main shipping lane of the Delaware River. So, you'll often see large barges, container ships, and tankers sailing by.
There are signs along the riverbank that tell you about the different kinds of boats you might see. It's like a live show of river traffic!
Besides the great views, the park has lots of fun things to do. You'll find many picnic areas, volleyball courts, horseshoes pits, and a playground for younger kids. Fox Point State Park is the northern end of the Coastal Heritage Greenway. This long path stretches from Wilmington all the way south along the Delaware Bay to Cape Henlopen State Park. It's also the eastern end of the Northern Delaware Greenway.
The park is also a great spot for birdwatching. It's located on the Atlantic Flyway. This is a major route for many different kinds of birds that migrate (travel) between their summer and winter homes.
Future Plans for the Park
There are exciting plans for Fox Point State Park! More of the polluted soil will be cleaned up and safely covered. Once that's done, new park features will be built.
Plans include a 0.75-mile loop path with fitness stations. This means you can exercise while enjoying the park! The area inside the loop will be planted with many different wildflowers. This will make the park even more beautiful and help the environment. There are also plans for a multi-purpose building, an amphitheater for shows, a special children's garden, and a boat launch.
Nearby State Parks
If you like Fox Point State Park, here are some other state parks within 30 miles:
- Alapocas Run State Park (New Castle County)
- Auburn Valley State Park (New Castle County)
- Bellevue State Park (New Castle County)
- Brandywine Creek State Park (New Castle County)
- Fort Delaware State Park (New Castle County)
- Fort DuPont State Park (New Castle County)
- Fort Mott State Park (New Jersey)
- Fort Washington State Park (Pennsylvania)
- Lums Pond State Park (New Castle County)
- Marsh Creek State Park (Pennsylvania)
- Norristown Farm Park (Pennsylvania)
- Parvin State Park (New Jersey)
- Ridley Creek State Park (Pennsylvania)
- Wilmington State Parks (New Castle County)
- White Clay Creek Preserve (Pennsylvania)
- White Clay Creek State Park (New Castle County)
