J. B. Williams Park facts for kids
J. B. Williams Park is a super fun place in Glastonbury, Connecticut! It's named after James Baker Williams, who started a famous soap company. This park is perfect for outdoor adventures like hiking, playing softball, fishing, ice-skating, and even cross-country skiing when it snows. You can find it on Neipsic Road, right off Route 2.
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The Story of J. B. Williams Park
James Baker Williams was born in 1818 in Lebanon, Connecticut. He started his own soap factory at his general store in Manchester, Connecticut. In 1842, he moved his business to Glastonbury. He owned a lot of land there, including a mill on Williams Street. The land where the park is now was also part of his property. By the early 1900s, his company, JB Williams Soap Company, was known all over the world for its amazing shaving soap!
Fun Things to Do at the Park
J. B. Williams Park is a big place, covering about 160 acres (that's about 0.65 square kilometers)! Most of the park is covered in trees, except for a softball field.
Explore the Trails
The park has many trails that are great for hiking. When winter comes, these trails are perfect for cross-country skiing. The Glastonbury High School cross-country team even uses the park as their home course for practice! There's a wide loop trail that is almost a mile long (about 1.4 kilometers).
Ponds and Playtime
Near the park's entrance, you'll find a pond where you can go fishing. When it gets cold enough, it's a popular spot for ice-skating! There's also a pavilion and a playground nearby for more fun. Deeper inside the park, there's another smaller pond that some people call the "dog pond."
The Old Ski Hill
Did you know J. B. Williams Park used to have a small ski area? The town ran it until the 1970s. An old jeep would power a rope tow, pulling skiers up the main slope. There were also smaller trails through the woods. Today, the area is overgrown, but you can still see parts of the old rope tow if you follow the narrow hiking trail up the main hill.
