List of Delaware state forests facts for kids
Delaware is home to three special state forests, with one in each county! Together, these forests cover more than 19,000 acres (about 77 square kilometers). The Delaware Department of Agriculture Forest Service takes care of these amazing natural places. They make sure the forests stay healthy and beautiful for everyone to enjoy.
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Blackbird State Forest: Explore Nature!
Located north of Smyrna, Blackbird State Forest covers about 5,400 acres (around 22 square kilometers). It sits right on the border of New Castle and Kent counties. The ten different sections, called tracts, of Blackbird State Forest are open all year. You can go for nature walks, hiking, jogging, and even horseback riding!
One cool feature is a half-mile trail that's easy for wheelchairs to use. It's great for learning about wildlife and nature on the Tybout Tract. There's also the Blackbird Education Center on the Meadows Tract. Here, you can learn about how forests grow, identify different trees, and understand why it's important to protect our forests.
Many fun and educational programs happen at the Blackbird State Forest Education Center. This center has two meeting rooms and interactive displays. You can see how a forest grows, learn about tree types, and discover how firefighters protect forests from wildfires. Visitors can also check out a beaver pond diorama, a real working beehive, and see different kinds of insects. New projects are also starting, like a new nature trail, a demonstration saw mill, and an arboretum (a place where many different trees are grown).
How Blackbird State Forest Started
Blackbird State Forest officially began in 1941. That's when the Tybout Tract was bought for about $6,916. At that time, land in New Castle County was usually very expensive. But this was a rare chance for the Forestry Department to buy a large piece of land at a good price.
The Forestry Department's report from 1941 explained why this purchase was so important: "For many years, people wanted the Department to buy State Forest lands in New Castle County. But we usually had to buy land where we could get the most acres for our money. However, when we had the chance to buy land in lower New Castle County at a price similar to land in Sussex County, we took it! The department successfully bought 672 acres west of Blackbird in New Castle County."
Redden State Forest: A Forest with History
Redden State Forest is made up of 18 separate sections. It covers over 12,000 acres (about 49 square kilometers) in Sussex County. You can find it just north of Georgetown, the county seat. Today's Redden State Forest combines several forest areas, including the Ellendale State Forest. The Ellendale State Forest Picnic Facility was even added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991!
The first land for Redden was bought in 1928. Since then, the forest has continued to grow, with new land added as recently as 2008. Many people enjoy visiting Redden State Forest for hunting (during certain seasons), horseback riding, watching nature, and hiking.
Redden State Forest also has one of Delaware's two forest education centers. The Redden Forest Education Center teaches visitors about the history of forestry in Delaware. You can also learn about forest pests, urban forestry (trees in cities), and how important forests are for clean water.
The Story of Redden State Forest
A lot of Redden State Forest's history is connected to railroads. The Junction & Breakwater Railroad, one of Delaware's first train systems, was finished in 1868. A train station was built in 1870 near what would become Redden State Forest. It was first called Carey's Station. But soon after, it was renamed for Colonel William O. Redden.
Colonel Redden was a very important person in Sussex County. He fought in the Civil War and served as sheriff of Sussex County from 1838 to 1840. He was also a member of Delaware's House of Representatives from 1840 to 1846, even serving as Speaker of the House in 1843. He played a big part in creating the railroad system in Delaware.
In 1877, a 230-acre (about 0.9 square kilometer) farm near Redden Station was sold after its owner, William W. Donovan, passed away. This land is now part of Redden State Forest's Headquarters Tract. Old court papers describe a large, two-story house with a smaller attached section. This description matches the Redden State Forest Manager's House, which is now the Redden office.
Charles C. Stockley, who was the Governor of Delaware from 1872 to 1876, bought the Donovan Farm in 1879. In 1901, Frank Thompson bought 844 acres (about 3.4 square kilometers) of land, including the original Donovan Farm. Mr. Thompson's father was the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
In 1903, the club house (now known as Redden Lodge) appeared on Sussex County tax records. From 1903 to 1919, officials and guests from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company used the Lodge for hunting. They mostly hunted quail because much of the area back then was open fields and hedgerows. Visitors would arrive at Redden Station by train from Philadelphia. Then, they would travel to the Lodge by horse and buggy. The carriages and horses were kept in the Horse Barn, which is now the Redden Education Center!
In 1936, under the leadership of William S. Taber, Delaware's first State Forester, the State Forestry Department bought the 844 acres that are now the Headquarters Tract. They bought it from Richard Houghton, who had owned the property after the railroad company used it. Since then, the Headquarters Tract has grown to over 1,800 acres (about 7.3 square kilometers).
On July 4, 1970, lightning struck the Lodge. A fire burned the entire west wing and kitchen. The burned part was rebuilt in 1976. In 1990, the Lodge, the Manager's House, and the Horse Barn were all added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Delaware Forest Service received money from the Delaware General Assembly to fix up these historic buildings. The Redden Lodge was reopened in 1996. The Manager's House became the Redden office in 1998. And the Horse Barn opened in 2000 as the Education Center. These three buildings are now the main attractions of Redden State Forest.
Taber State Forest: Quiet and Wild
Taber State Forest covers over 1,200 acres (about 4.9 square kilometers) in Kent County. It's located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest of Harrington. This forest is a "primitive use" area, meaning it's kept very natural and doesn't have a formal office on site. It's mainly used for hunting, hiking, and providing a home for wildlife. The forest is also managed to produce timber.
The Beginning of Taber State Forest
Even though Taber State Forest was officially dedicated in 1994, its story began in 1984. That's when the Delaware Forest Service received the 350-acre (about 1.4 square kilometer) Saulsbury Farm. Taber State Forest also includes a building known as the Smith School House, which is now a home on the property. This school was a one-teacher schoolhouse with about 23 students on average. It was open 180 days a year.
The Saulsbury Farm also has the Saulsbury family burial site. This historic grave site includes a memorial to Gove Saulsbury, who was the 41st governor of Delaware from 1865 to 1871. The site is about 50 feet (15 meters) by 75 feet (23 meters) and has 16 graves. There's one large monument and three smaller gravestones, surrounded by a two-rail split rail fence. The land agreements say this area must always remain a burial site and be taken care of.
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