Minnie Island State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minnie Island State Park |
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 Minnie Island State Park
Location in Connecticut
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| Location | Montville and Salem, Connecticut, United States |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Elevation | 397 ft (121 m) |
| Designation | Connecticut state park |
| Established | 1925 |
| Administrator | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
| Website | Minnie Island State Park |
Minnie Island State Park is a special place in Connecticut. It's a small island that is open to the public for fun activities. You can find it at the southern end of Gardner Lake, a large lake that covers 529-acre (214 ha). This tiny island is split between two towns: Salem and Montville.
Minnie Island is unique because you can only get there by boat. It's a great spot for a picnic, fishing, or just exploring. It feels like a quiet, untouched place. At only 0.88-acre (0.36 ha), it's the smallest state park in Connecticut!
Contents
Island History: How Minnie Island Became a Park
Minnie Island has an interesting past. In the 1800s, a famous music teacher named Oramel Whittlesey owned the island. He was the person who started the Music Vale Seminary in Salem. Mr. Whittlesey named the island after his niece, whose nickname was Minnie. That's how the island got its name!
The Mystery of Ownership
Later, in the 1920s, something strange happened. Some people tried to claim the island for themselves. This led to a big discovery: even though both Salem and Montville thought the island belonged to them, it wasn't officially listed for taxes in either town. It was like no one truly owned it!
The State Steps In
To solve this problem, the state government got involved. The state assembly, which is like a group of lawmakers, decided what to do. Instead of letting the people who tried to claim the island take it, they passed a new law in 1925. This law made Minnie Island property of the state of Connecticut. The state park commission then took over managing it, making it a public park for everyone to enjoy.
Exploring Minnie Island: What It's Like
Minnie Island is a beautiful, natural spot. In the 1930s, writers from the WPA (a government program that created jobs during tough times) described it as a "pine-grown knoll rising from the lake's depths." This means it's a small, rounded hill covered in pine trees that comes up out of the lake.
Island Landscape
The island has a steep shoreline with gray rocks sticking out. This makes it a bit tricky to dock a boat. The highest part of the island is about sixteen feet above the surface of Gardner Lake. The lake itself is about 381 feet (116 m) above sea level. On the northern side of the island, the lake gets very deep, dropping down about 36 feet (11 m)!
Plants and Trees
Minnie Island is covered in thick forests. You'll find large red oak trees and lots of mountain laurel plants growing underneath them. Mountain laurel is a beautiful shrub with pretty flowers. At the very top of the island, there's a small open area. Sometimes, you might find things left behind by previous visitors there.
No Facilities
It's important to know that Minnie Island is a very natural park. There are no buildings, restrooms, or signs of any kind. It's truly a place to enjoy nature as it is.
