Naugatuck State Forest is a Connecticutstate forest consisting of five separate blocks in the towns of Oxford, Beacon Falls, Naugatuck, Bethany, Cheshire, Hamden,[4]Seymour, and Ansonia. The five blocks are the Mount Sanford (Cheshire, Hamden—bordering Prospect and Bethany), East (Beacon Falls, Bethany, Naugatuck), West (Naugatuck, Oxford, Beacon Falls), Quillinan Reservoir (Seymour, Ansonia), and Great Hill (Seymour) blocks.
The first purchases of lands which comprise the Naugatuck State Forest were made by Harris Whittemore in 1921. Whittemore, a Connecticut State Forest and Park Commissioner and industrial magnate, intended to donate the forest parcels to the state but died in 1928 before he could do so. In 1931, in memoriam, Whittemore's family donated nearly 2,000 acres (which included additional parcels acquired after his death).[3] The other blocks were added afterwards with the Great Hill block having been added most recently.
A scenic valley consisting of the parallel Naugatuck River and Connecticut Route 8 splits the East and West block's rising hills in Naugatuck. Most of the Naugatuck State Forest blocks are in the Naugatuck River watershed whose sources and mouth are entirely within the limits of Connecticut and which is itself a tributary of the lower Housatonic River. The towns in the Naugatuck Valley area were settled during the early part of the 18th century and were typical of the early New England settlements. Rivers, streams and ponds were dammed to furnish waterpower for gristmills, tanneries, and later paper mills. There are many stone fences marking the boundaries of colonial era farms though large portions of the Naugatuck State Forest blocks are composed of rocky hills which made poor farmland.
Activities
Early fall leaves on Quillinan's White Trail "singletrack" near the former NIKE missile site in Ansonia, Connecticut, between Moulthrap Brook, Twomile Brook and Osborne Lane.
Naugatuck State Forest is used for fishing, hiking, hunting, target shooting, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, mountain biking, climbing, geocaching and trail running. The forest is crossed by several Blue-Blazed Trails including the Quinnipiac Trail and Naugatuck Trail (including the Whittemore spur). Mountain biking trails include fire roads in the various blocks, as well as several miles of singletrack trail in the Quillinan Block that were created in cooperation of the DEEP State Forester's office, the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), and Thule Corporation.
Features
Eastern East Block - Beacon Cap
West Block - High Rock Shooting Association Rifle Range
West Block - Seymour Reservoirs
Mount Sanford block - Cromie Grove and the border with the Town of Hamden's Brooksvale Recreation Area/Park.
Quillinan Block - Mountain biking "singletrack" White and Purple trails.
^Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee (January 23, 2014). "State Parks and Forests: Funding" (PDF). Staff Findings and Recommendations. Connecticut General Assembly. p. A-3. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
^ ab"Connecticut State Forests Seedling Letterbox Series - Clues for Naugatuck State Forest". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
^"Naugatuck State Forest". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
External links
Naugatuck State Forest Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Naugatuck State Forest Map (East & West Blocks) Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Naugatuck State Forest Map (Mount Sanford) Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Naugatuck State Forest (Maps 1-5) Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
January 28, 2023
naugatuck, state, forest, connecticut, state, forest, consisting, five, separate, blocks, towns, oxford, beacon, falls, naugatuck, bethany, cheshire, hamden, seymour, ansonia, five, blocks, mount, sanford, cheshire, hamden, bordering, prospect, bethany, east, . Naugatuck State Forest is a Connecticut state forest consisting of five separate blocks in the towns of Oxford Beacon Falls Naugatuck Bethany Cheshire Hamden 4 Seymour and Ansonia The five blocks are the Mount Sanford Cheshire Hamden bordering Prospect and Bethany East Beacon Falls Bethany Naugatuck West Naugatuck Oxford Beacon Falls Quillinan Reservoir Seymour Ansonia and Great Hill Seymour blocks Naugatuck State ForestLocation in ConnecticutShow map of ConnecticutNaugatuck State Forest the United States Show map of the United StatesLocationNew Haven Connecticut United StatesCoordinates41 27 29 N 73 00 53 W 41 45806 N 73 01472 W 41 45806 73 01472 Coordinates 41 27 29 N 73 00 53 W 41 45806 N 73 01472 W 41 45806 73 01472 1 Area4 153 acres 16 81 km2 2 Elevation748 ft 228 m 1 Established1931 3 Governing bodyConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental ProtectionWebsiteNaugatuck State Forest Contents 1 History 2 Activities 3 Features 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditThe first purchases of lands which comprise the Naugatuck State Forest were made by Harris Whittemore in 1921 Whittemore a Connecticut State Forest and Park Commissioner and industrial magnate intended to donate the forest parcels to the state but died in 1928 before he could do so In 1931 in memoriam Whittemore s family donated nearly 2 000 acres which included additional parcels acquired after his death 3 The other blocks were added afterwards with the Great Hill block having been added most recently A scenic valley consisting of the parallel Naugatuck River and Connecticut Route 8 splits the East and West block s rising hills in Naugatuck Most of the Naugatuck State Forest blocks are in the Naugatuck River watershed whose sources and mouth are entirely within the limits of Connecticut and which is itself a tributary of the lower Housatonic River The towns in the Naugatuck Valley area were settled during the early part of the 18th century and were typical of the early New England settlements Rivers streams and ponds were dammed to furnish waterpower for gristmills tanneries and later paper mills There are many stone fences marking the boundaries of colonial era farms though large portions of the Naugatuck State Forest blocks are composed of rocky hills which made poor farmland Activities Edit Early fall leaves on Quillinan s White Trail singletrack near the former NIKE missile site in Ansonia Connecticut between Moulthrap Brook Twomile Brook and Osborne Lane Naugatuck State Forest is used for fishing hiking hunting target shooting snowmobiling cross country skiing mountain biking climbing geocaching and trail running The forest is crossed by several Blue Blazed Trails including the Quinnipiac Trail and Naugatuck Trail including the Whittemore spur Mountain biking trails include fire roads in the various blocks as well as several miles of singletrack trail in the Quillinan Block that were created in cooperation of the DEEP State Forester s office the New England Mountain Bike Association NEMBA and Thule Corporation Features EditEastern East Block Beacon Cap West Block High Rock Shooting Association Rifle Range West Block Seymour Reservoirs Mount Sanford block Cromie Grove and the border with the Town of Hamden s Brooksvale Recreation Area Park Quillinan Block Mountain biking singletrack White and Purple trails References Edit a b Naugatuck State Forest Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee January 23 2014 State Parks and Forests Funding PDF Staff Findings and Recommendations Connecticut General Assembly p A 3 Retrieved March 20 2014 a b Connecticut State Forests Seedling Letterbox Series Clues for Naugatuck State Forest State Parks and Forests Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Retrieved August 1 2014 Naugatuck State Forest State Parks and Forests Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Retrieved December 6 2011 External links EditNaugatuck State Forest Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Naugatuck State Forest Map East amp West Blocks Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Naugatuck State Forest Map Mount Sanford Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Naugatuck State Forest Maps 1 5 Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Naugatuck State Forest amp oldid 1085901772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
