Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watkins Lake State Parkand County Preserve |
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![]() Watkins Lake from Arnold Road
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Type | Michigan state park |
Location | Jackson & Washtenaw counties, Michigan, United States |
Nearest city | Manchester, Michigan |
Area | 1,122 acres (454 ha) |
Elevation | 974 feet (297 m) |
Established | 2016 |
Administered by | Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission |
Website | Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve |
Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve is a cool place in Michigan. It's a mix of a fun park and a special nature area. You can find it about five miles west of Manchester. This big area covers both Jackson and Washtenaw counties.
The park is huge, covering over 1,100 acres! The state of Michigan owns about 700 acres of it. Washtenaw County owns over 400 acres. The park officially opened in 2017. It is managed by two groups: the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission. A long, five-mile path, once a train track, goes through the park. It leads into beautiful grassy areas on the east side.
Park History: How It Started
This park is named after Royal and Sally Carpenter Watkins. They were the very first settlers to farm this land a long time ago. The Watkins family was known for helping people on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom before the Civil War.
Becoming a Park
In 2016, the state of Michigan bought part of the land that used to belong to the Watkins family. They used $2.9 million from a special fund called the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. Before that, in 2015, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission bought over 400 acres from a person named Gary Trolz. Then, in 2016, Mr. Trolz sold another 700 acres next to it to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. All these land purchases together made it possible to create Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve for everyone to enjoy!