Hallock State Park Preserve (formerly Jamesport State Park)[3] is a 225-acre (0.91 km2) state park and nature preserve located in the towns of Riverhead and Southold in Suffolk County, New York.[1][2] The park is situated on Long Island's north shore, with nearly one mile (1.6 km) of beachfront facing Long Island Sound.[4]
| Hallock State Park Preserve | |
|---|---|
  Location of Hallock State Park Preserve within New York State | |
| Type | State park, nature preserve |
| Location | Riverhead and Southold Suffolk County, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°58′59″N 72°35′20″W / 40.9831°N 72.5889°W |
| Area | 225 acres (0.91 km2)[1] |
| Created | 2005[2] |
| Operated by | New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation |
| Website | Hallock State Park Preserve |
History
editThe property that was to become Hallock State Park Preserve was formerly used for illegal sand mining during the 1960s, and was once intended to host a nuclear power plant planned by the Long Island Lighting Company during the 1970s. KeySpan Energy took ownership of the land in 1998.[5]
It was purchased by New York State from KeySpan Energy in 2002 for $16 million; the purchase also included an additional 300 acres (1.2 km2) adjacent to the future park land.[6][7] Although the park officially opened as Jamesport State Park in 2005,[2] legal access to the undeveloped park was restricted until official trails and a welcome center could be constructed.[5][7]
A master plan was adopted for the park in 2010, at which time the park's name was changed from Jamesport State Park to Hallock State Park Preserve.[3] The name change was intended to address the fact that the park was not located in nearby Jamesport; instead the park was named after a pond on the property.[8]
Impending development of the park's facilities was announced in 2014 after $3 million in funding was secured in the state's budget. The state funds joined an additional $3.9 million of development money that was received from selling the adjacent 300 acres (1.2 km2) parcel as protected farmland.[7]
Park description
editThe 225-acre (0.91 km2)[1] park contains woodlands, open areas and a rare coastal perched pond, in addition to a one-mile-long (1.6 km) beach along Long Island Sound.[7] It is intended to serve as a nature preserve in addition to allowing passive recreation such as hiking, fishing, non-motorized boating, and seasonal horse-riding and scuba diving. There is a park office and nature center, trails, and a road that passes farmland leading to an upper parking lot and trails to Hallock Pond and the Sound.[3] The park boasts commanding views of the Long Island Sound.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Section O: Environmental Conservation and Recreation, Table O-9". 2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook (PDF). The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. 2014. pp. 671–674. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Governor Opens Jamesport State Park and Preserve". NYS Office of the Governor. May 20, 2005. Archived from the original on June 2, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Newly Adopted Master Plan Designates Hallock State Park Preserve". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. October 21, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ "Hallock State Park Preserve". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ a b White, Michael (2008). "State park still off limits". Times Review. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ "Governor Announces Long Island Sound Land Acquisition". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. October 24, 2002. Archived from the original on September 24, 2006. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Miller, Carrie (April 24, 2014). "Hallock State Park work to (finally) start this year". Suffolk Times. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ Bleyer, Bill (April 28, 2010). "Plan calls for changes to Jamesport State Park". Newsday. Archived from the original on October 21, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
External links
edit
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