Kent Falls State Park
| Kent Falls State Park | |||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Kent Falls | |||||||||||||||||
  Kent Falls State Park  Kent Falls State Park | |||||||||||||||||
| Location | Shelton, Connecticut, United States | ||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 41°46′37″N 73°25′09″W / 41.77694°N 73.41917°W[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Area | 307 acres (124 ha)[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 794 ft (242 m)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Established | 1919 | ||||||||||||||||
| Administered by | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection | ||||||||||||||||
| Designation | Connecticut state park | ||||||||||||||||
| Website | Official website  | ||||||||||||||||
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Kent Falls State Park is a public recreation area located in the town of Kent, Connecticut, within the Litchfield Hills region of the southern Berkshires. The state park is home to Kent Falls, a series of waterfalls on Falls Brook, a tributary of the Housatonic River.[3] The falls drop 250 feet (76 m) in under a quarter mile. The largest cascade drops more than 70 feet (21 m) into a reflecting pool, before traveling over the lesser falls.[4]
History
The Indian name of the falls is Scatacook, and there is evidence that the area was used by Native Americans for fishing and camping. Mills stood along the brook during colonial times. Kent Falls was established as a state park after 200 acres (81 ha) of land was given to the state in 1919 as a gift from philanthropist Alain C. White through his White Memorial Foundation. Workers with the Civil Works Administration contributed to the park's development in the 1930s. In the 1970s, trail reconstruction was done by the Youth Conservation Corps of America.[5]
In 2006, observation platforms were constructed along a trail next to the falls; at the base of the falls, a terraced observation area paved with native flag stones was created to allow access to a calm-water wading pool.[6]
Activities and amenities
The park has a replica of a covered bridge that allows visitors to cross the brook and access the falls. In addition to its scenery, the park offers hiking, fishing, and picnicking.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Kent Falls Brook". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Appendix A: List of State Parks and Forests" (PDF). State Parks and Forests: Funding. Staff Findings and Recommendations. Connecticut General Assembly. January 23, 2014. p. A-2. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
- ^ a b "Kent Falls State Park". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ "Kent Falls". New England Waterfalls. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ "Kent Falls State Park". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. July 18, 2016. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
- ^ Clarridge, Emerson (July 6, 2006). "New flow at Kent Falls". The News-Times. Danbury, Conn. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
External links
- Kent Falls State Park Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Kent Falls State Park Map Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection