Thompson Pond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thompson Pond |
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Thompson Pond in summer
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 Thompson Pond
Location in New York
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| Location | Pine Plains, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°57′40″N 73°40′43″W / 41.961118°N 73.678737°W |
| Type | kettle pond |
| Primary outflows | Wappinger Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 75 acres (30 ha) |
| Designated: | May 1973 |
Thompson Pond is a cool natural spot in Pine Plains, New York. It's a special kind of lake called a kettle pond. This pond is about 75 acres big and is super old, formed around 15,000 years ago during the Ice age. It sits right at the bottom of the tall Stissing Mountain, which is about 1,403 feet high.
Thompson Pond is also the starting point for Wappinger Creek. This creek flows into the famous Hudson River. It helps drain a lot of water from Dutchess County. The pond and the mountain are part of a big nature preserve. This preserve is managed by a group called The Nature Conservancy. In 1973, Thompson Pond was named a National Natural Landmark. This is because it has a rare type of bog called a calcareous bog. Most bogs in the Northeast are acidic, so this one is very unique!
Pond History
Thompson Pond wasn't always separate. Long ago, it was connected to two other nearby water bodies. These were Stissing Lake and Twin Island Lake. Over many years, they slowly separated into the lakes we see today.
The pond is believed to be named after a person named Amos Thompson. He moved to this area around the year 1746. Thompson Pond and Stissing Mountain even inspired some displays. These displays were about New York State's environment. You can see them in the Warburg Memorial Hall. This hall is part of the American Museum of Natural History. Those displays were built in 1951.
In 1958, a person named Elting Arnold helped save the land. He worked for The Nature Conservancy. He convinced a farm called Briarcliff Farms to sell the land. The Conservancy bought it for $20,000. This money was raised from donations by people who cared about nature.
Exploring the Preserve
The Thompson Pond preserve is open every day. You can visit from when the sun comes up until it goes down. It's a great place for fun outdoor activities. You can go hiking or learn about nature. There are trails that go all around the pond. There's also a trail that leads to the top of Stissing Mountain. At the mountain's summit, there's a firetower. You can climb up the firetower and enjoy amazing views!
Plants and Animals
This nature preserve is home to many different living things. You can find over 387 kinds of plants here! Some of these plants include pipewort and round-leaved sundew. You might also see St. Johnswort and cattails. The woods around the pond have many types of trees. There are oak trees, sugar maple trees, and ash trees. You can also find hemlock and hickory trees.
The preserve is also a stop for many birds. It's part of their migration path. More than 162 different kinds of birds have been seen here! Plus, scientists have found 27 different types of mammals living in the preserve. It's a busy place for wildlife!
