East Rock

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This article is about the physical traprock hill formation known as East Rock. See East Rock (neighborhood) for information on the residential neighborhood of New Haven known by the same name.

East Rock is a traprock hill that rises to the northeast of downtown New Haven, Connecticut, USA, lending its name to East Rock Park as well as the adjoining neighborhood.

Contents 1 East Rock 2 East Rock Park 3 Soldiers and Sailors Monument 4 Further reading

[edit] East Rock

The Rock's approximate elevation is 359 feet, and it consists largely of reddish and blackish diabase, much like its companion West Rock. Adjacent formations associated with East Rock are Whitney Peak, Indian Head, and Snake Rock.

The hill is easily visible from many parts of the city and some parts of surrounding towns, especially the prominent Soldiers and Sailors Monument which rests on its plateau-like top.

[edit] East Rock Park

The hill itself and College Woods, a landscaped city park including basketball courts and a playground, make up the city's very large East Rock Park, designated as public parkland by the city of New Haven, and containing many hiking trails, woodlands, and a notable "Giant Steps" edifice which has been built to facilitate climbing the hill's steep cliffside.

[edit] Soldiers and Sailors Monument

The inscriptions on the Soldiers and Sailors monument are as follows:

Southwest face (Civil War battles)

• Gettysburg
• Port Hudson
• Fort Fisher
• 1861-1865

Southeast face (Revolutionary War battles)

• Bunker Hill
• Bennington
• Saratoga
• 1775-1783

Northeast face (War of 1812 battles)

• Lake Erie
• Lake Champlain
• New Orleans
• 1812-1815

Northwest face (Mexican-American War)

• Palo Alto
• Molino Del Rey
• Chapultepec

In addition, the northwest face bears a large plaque with the following inscription:

"1861-1865 Soldiers and Sailors of New Haven who died in defense of the Union." This is followed by a three-column casualty list of twelve regiments of infantrymen. The frame of the plaque depicts numbered badges and flags. Some legible names along this border include:

• Fort Donaldson
• Hampton Roads
• Newberne, N.E.
• Fort Pulaski
• James Island
• Island No. 10
• New Orleans
• Fair Oaks
• Secessionville
• Gettysburg
• Dallas
• Bull Run

[edit] Further reading

• The Connecticut Historical Society - Civil War Monuments of Connecticut
• New Haven Mayor's Office - A Brief History of the Angel of Peace and the New Haven Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument

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