Ruby and Elizabeth Cohen Woodlands facts for kids
The Ruby and Elizabeth Cohen Woodlands is a beautiful park in Colchester, Connecticut. You can find it on McDonald Road. This park has about 121 acres (0.49 km2) of natural land. It's a great place to visit with a gazebo, picnic tables, and trails for hiking. There are also two ponds and some marshy areas.
Contents
Park History
Who Was Ruby Cohen?
Ruby Cohen was an important person in Colchester, Connecticut. He lived from 1911 to 1999. His story became well-known when he bought "Harry's Place" in 1925. Today, Harry's Place is still a very popular roadside burger stand. It is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Harry's Place was once part of a group of seven hotels. These hotels were built by Baron Maurice de Hirsch. He was a rich banker who helped fund the famous Orient Express train. Maurice de Hirsch saw Colchester as a good place for Jewish immigrants to settle. That is why he built the hotels there. Ruby Cohen stopped working in 1973.
Ruby Cohen's Community Role
Ruby Cohen served in the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1943. This means he was a lawmaker for the state. He often gave advice to people in Colchester about local government. He even held meetings in his barn to help people.
Ruby Cohen also opened his land for many community events. People enjoyed fishing contests, weddings, and Boy Scout campouts there. This land is now the Ruby and Elizabeth Cohen Woodlands. The Colchester Parks and Recreation Department manages it.
What You Can Find at the Park
Exploring the Woodlands
Most of the Ruby and Elizabeth Cohen Woodlands is covered by thick trees. But there are also many acres of open, grassy areas. McDonald Road divides the park, with some land on each side. There are two ponds in the park, one on each side of the road.
Student Projects and Nature Trails
Students from Bacon Academy, which is Colchester's high school, often use this park. They come here to work on different school projects. For example, you can see an information sign about plants and animals that are not native to the ponds. These are called invasive species. There is also a nature trail that teaches you about the different kinds of trees growing in the park.
