Osbornedale State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Osbornedale State Park |
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One of the park's glacial erratics
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 Osbornedale State Park
Location in Connecticut
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| Location | Derby, Connecticut, United States |
| Area | 417 acres (169 ha) |
| Elevation | 410 ft (120 m) |
| Designation | Connecticut state park |
| Established | 1956 |
| Administrator | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
| Website | Osbornedale State Park |
Osbornedale State Park is a fun place to visit in Connecticut! It covers about 417 acres and is located mostly in the town of Derby. A small part of the park is in Ansonia. This park is on the east side of the Housatonic River.
It has a cool old house called the Osborne Homestead, a special center for learning about nature, and lots of trails for hiking. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection takes care of the park.
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A Look Back: The Park's Story
This beautiful park used to be the private home and land of the Osborne family. They owned factories that made metal and textile products. These factories were in the Naugatuck Valley area.
Frances Osborne Kellogg and her husband, Waldo Kellogg, bought many farms. They put these farms together to create this large property. The Kelloggs were very good at farming! They had two successful farms on their land. These farms were called Osbornedale Farms.
One farm was famous for breeding special Osbornedale Holstein cows. The other farm produced milk from a herd of Jersey cows. Before the Kelloggs owned the land, people even mined for silver there. This happened after the American Revolutionary War. Some people also bottled spring water from the land.
Frances Osborne Kellogg gave her 350-acre estate to the state of Connecticut. This gift happened when she passed away in 1956. That's how it became a state park for everyone to enjoy!
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Osbornedale State Park offers many cool activities for visitors. It's a great place to spend time outdoors.
Exploring the Museum and Learning Center
The park has the historic Osbornedale house. You can take tours inside this old house. It's like stepping back in time! There's also the Kellogg Environmental Center. This center offers many educational programs. You can learn about nature and the environment there.
Outdoor Adventures
If you love being outside, you'll find plenty to do. The park has many hiking trails for you to explore. There is also a pond where you can go fishing. In the winter, when it's cold enough, you can even go ice skating on the pond! The park also has nice areas for picnicking. You can bring your lunch and enjoy it surrounded by nature.
