Hubbard Park (Meriden, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hubbard Park
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Entrance to the park (from a 1913 postcard)
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| Location | Meriden, Connecticut |
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| Area | 1,803 acres (730 ha) |
| Architect | Quigley, Peter J.; Stuart, David, et al. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque, Colonial Revival, Rustic |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001466 |
| Added to NRHP | December 15, 1997 |
Hubbard Park is a beautiful, big park in Meriden, Connecticut. It's nestled in the Hanging Hills, which are cool, rocky mountains. The park has about 1,800 acres of forests, streams, tall cliffs, and pretty flower gardens. You can also find picnic areas, a stage for music, and a lovely spot called Mirror Lake. This special park is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its history and beauty.
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Discovering Hubbard Park's Story
Most of the land for Hubbard Park was given to the town by Walter Hubbard. He was the president of a company called Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing. When he donated the land, he made sure it would always be free for everyone in Meriden. He also said that no one could ever charge money for things inside the park.
Walter Hubbard put a lot of effort into creating the park. He spent a lot of his own money, between $400,000 and $500,000. This money helped clear the land, build roads, and create Mirror Lake. He even got help from Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York City's famous Central Park.
Hubbard also built a tower on East Peak, which is called Castle Craig. It looks like towers built by the Turks along the Danube River a long, long time ago.
Exploring Hubbard Park's Nature
Hubbard Park is located in the Hanging Hills. These are dramatic, rocky mountains that look over the city of Meriden. They are about 900 feet (274 meters) above the Quinnipiac River Valley. Two main peaks are inside the park. South Mountain is 767 feet tall, and East Peak is 976 feet tall. Just outside the park, West Peak is even taller at 1,024 feet.
The park is home to beautiful spots like Merimere Reservoir and Mirror Lake. These lakes are tucked between South Mountain and East Peak. Some parts of the park even stretch into nearby towns like Berlin and Southington.
Fun Things to Do in Hubbard Park
Hubbard Park is a very popular place for outdoor activities. Many hiking trails cross through the park. One famous trail is the blue-blazed Metacomet Trail, which is 51 miles long. This trail goes over East Peak and West Peak. You can go hiking and backcountry skiing on the trails. The roads are open for bicycling and mountain biking. However, swimming and rock climbing are not allowed.
From the top of Castle Craig, you can see a lot of the Quinnipiac Valley. You can also see the Long Island Sound and even taller mountains far away in southern New England. East Peak is often said to be the tallest mountain within 25 miles of the coastline from Cadillac Mountain in Maine all the way to Florida. But actually, nearby West Peak is a bit higher!
The park also has a stage for concerts and pretty flower gardens. It hosts many local events and concerts. Two of the most famous events are the spring Daffodil Festival and the Festival of Silver Lights in winter. Castle Craig is open to visitors during certain times of the year. A park road is open from May to October, usually from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Daffodil Festival
The Daffodil Festival started in 1978. It was a way for the community to come together in the springtime. This festival happens every last weekend in April. It's a big celebration with food, a parade, fireworks, and, of course, lots of daffodils! The park fills up with these bright yellow flowers.
The festival transforms Hubbard Park into a lively place. There's a craft area with booths from different artists. You can find a food tent with live music, plus games and rides. Shuttle buses are available from different places in Meriden to help you get there. The best part is, the Daffodil Festival is free for everyone!
The Festival of Silver Lights
The Festival of Silver Lights is a special winter celebration. During the colder months, the park is decorated with amazing light displays. There are over 300 lighted displays throughout the park. More than half a million lights are used to create this magical scene!
The lights show many forest animals, like rabbits and deer. You can also see alligators, camels, the globe, a Christmas tree, and hanging snowflakes. Cars can drive through the park to see all the beautiful lights at night. It's a truly mesmerizing experience!
How Hubbard Park's Mountains Were Formed
The Hanging Hills in Meriden are part of a long ridge called the Metacomet Ridge. This ridge stretches almost continuously from Belchertown, Massachusetts to Branford, Connecticut. The Hanging Hills were formed about 200 million years ago. This happened when North America and Eurasia began to split apart.
Two big lava flows covered the red sandstone valley in Meriden. This lava cooled and hardened into a type of rock called trap rock (also known as basalt). Over time, sand and mud from the surrounding hills covered these hard rock layers. After the volcanic activity stopped, the whole area cracked and tilted to the west. Since then, hundreds of feet of the softer sandstone bedrock have worn away. This left the dense, hard volcanic trap rock layers standing high above the surrounding land.
Images for kids
- Hubbard Park Festival of Silver Lights 2018
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Rabbits
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Big Cat
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Deer
