Hammonasset Beach State Park
| Hammonasset Beach State Park | |
| Connecticut State Park | |
 Sunset over the Long Island Sound from Hammonasset Beach | |
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| State |  Connecticut |
| County | New Haven |
| Town | Madison |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | 41°15′50″N 72°33′11″W / 41.26389°N 72.55306°WCoordinates: 41°15′50″N 72°33′11″W / 41.26389°N 72.55306°W |
| Area | 936 acres (379 ha) [2] |
| Established | 1920 |
| Management | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
  Location in Connecticut
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| Website: Hammonasset Beach State Park | |
Hammonasset Beach State Park is a Connecticut state park located in Madison, a town in New Haven County. It is Connecticut's largest shoreline park, with over two miles of beach on Long Island Sound.[3] With over 1.9 million visits per year, it is the most popular attraction in the state.[3]
History
Hammonasset Beach State Park opened on July 18, 1920, attracting over 75,000 visitors in its first season. During World War II the park was closed to the public and used as a U.S. Army reservation. Meigs Point functioned as an aircraft range, with planes flying over Clinton Harbor, firing at the range and then flying out over the Long Island Sound. In 1955, a stone breakwater was built at the Meigs Point end of the park.[3]
Activities and amenities
The Meigs Point Nature Center offers environmental education programs and activities for park visitors on a limited year-round basis.[3] The nature center features a touch tank and live turtles, snakes, amphibians, crabs and fish.
Other activities include bicycling, boating, fishing, hiking, picnicking and swimming. The park has over 550 campsites available.
References
- ↑ "Hammonasset State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
- ↑ Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee (January 23, 2014). "State Parks and Forests: Funding". Staff Findings and Recommendations. Connecticut General Assembly. p. A-2. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Hammonasset Beach State Park". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hammonasset Beach State Park. |
- Hammonasset Beach State Park Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Friends of Hammonassett Beach State Park
- Meigs Point Nature Center
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