Lantern Hill facts for kids
Lantern Hill is a cool hill in North Stonington, Connecticut. It stands about 491 feet (149 meters) tall, which is like climbing a really big building! This hill is a special spot in New London County.
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What's in a Name?
Lantern Hill got its name because of its bright white quartz rocks. When the sun shines on these rocks, they sparkle! People say you can even see this sparkle from far away in the Atlantic Ocean.
Some people used to call it "Tar Barrel Hill." This name came from a story that on August 11, 1814, during the War of 1812, barrels of tar were burned on the hill. This was a signal to warn everyone that the British were coming! However, some think the real "Tar Barrel Hill" might be a different hill nearby called "Jeremy Hill."
How Was Lantern Hill Formed?
Lantern Hill is mostly made of a very pure, milky white rock called quartz. This hill sits on top of an old, inactive crack in the Earth's crust, called the Lantern Hill Fault. This fault stretches all the way south into the Atlantic Ocean.
Scientists have studied the quartz from Lantern Hill. They found out it's super old – about 238 million years old! That's from a time called the Mid-Triassic Period, which was part of the Mesozoic Era. The fault and the quartz formed a long, long time ago when the Atlantic Ocean was just starting to open up.
Exploring Lantern Hill Today
People used to mine the hill for its special quartz, which is also called silica. This mining started in 1870. However, the mining stopped in 1994 when the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe bought the land.
Today, Lantern Hill is a great place for hiking! It's the starting point of the Narragansett Trail, a hiking path kept in good shape by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. From the top of Lantern Hill, you can see amazing views. You can look out over the Atlantic Ocean and the beautiful countryside. You can also spot the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe's land, their museum, and even the Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Images for kids
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Lantern Hill Trail signs.
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Narragansett Trail blazes with Lantern Hill and Loop Trail signs.
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Narragansett Trail's Lantern Hill view of Lantern Hill Pond.
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Narragansett Trail's Lantern Hill view of the Mashantucket Pequots Foxwoods Casino Resort.
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Narragansett Trail's Lantern Hill view of hawks flying. Mashantucket Pequot Museum can be seen in the far background.
