Hammonasset Beach State Park - Meigs Point Nature Center 02

Hammonasset Beach State Park is a public recreation area occupying two miles of beach front on

Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York to the south. From west to east, the sound stretches from the Eas ...

in the

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Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

. It is the state's largest shoreline park and one of the most popular attractions in the state, drawing an estimated one million visitors annually. The

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

offers beach activities, large campground, and nature center. It is managed by the

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is a state agency in the US state of Connecticut. The department oversees the state's natural resources and environment and regulates public utilities and energy policy. I ...

History

The park began with the purchase of 499 acres in 1919. The park drew over 75,000 visitors in 1920, its first year of operation, a figure that grew to nearly 450,000 by its fifth year of operation, 1924. In 2013, Hammonasset accounted for over one-quarter of statewide park attendance and over one-third of the revenue generated statewide by the state park system. Officials estimate annual attendance at one million visitors. The park closed during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

when the site became a

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

reservation and active aircraft firing range. In 1955, a stone breakwater was built at the Meigs Point end of the park.

Nature center

A new Meigs Point Nature Center was opened in 2016 to replace the center's original farmhouse site that had been in use for more than 40 years. The facility offers of exhibit space with observation deck and hands-on learning experiences. Exhibits feature a touch tank and live turtles, snakes, amphibians, crabs and fish.

Activities and amenities

The park offers bicycling, boating, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and swimming as well as a campground with 550 units.

References

External links

Hammonasset Beach State Park
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Hammonasset Beach State Park Map
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Meigs Point Nature Center
{{authority control State parks of Connecticut Madison, Connecticut Peninsulas of Connecticut Parks in New Haven County, Connecticut Landforms of New Haven County, Connecticut Protected areas established in 1919 Nature centers in Connecticut Campgrounds in Connecticut

Beaches of Connecticut {{Beaches of the United States Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, ...

1919 establishments in Connecticut