Ashland State Park

Ashland State Park
Massachusetts State Park
The spillway below the reservoir dam
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Middlesex
Town Ashland
Elevation 230 ft (70 m) [1]
Coordinates 42°14′30″N 71°27′58″W / 42.24167°N 71.46611°W / 42.24167; -71.46611Coordinates: 42°14′30″N 71°27′58″W / 42.24167°N 71.46611°W / 42.24167; -71.46611 [1]
Area 472 acres (191 ha) [2]
Established 1947
Management Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Location in Massachusetts
Website: Ashland State Park

Ashland State Park is a public recreation area surrounding the 157-acre (64 ha) Ashland Reservoir in the town of Ashland, Massachusetts. The state park's 472 acres (191 ha) incorporate the entire shoreline of the reservoir which is abutted by the Warren Conference Center and Inn, Camp Winnetaska, a former Girl Scouts of America camp, and residential houses. The park is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.[3]

History

The park was created when the Ashland Reservoir, which was completed in 1895, was taken out of service in 1947.[4] The reservoir's dam and spillway are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The park was unstaffed from 2009 through 2012 due to budget cuts and reopened in 2013 with funding to restore facilities that had deteriorated during the shutdown.[5][6]

Activities and amenities

The park's trails are used for hiking, bicycling, and cross-country skiing. The park has wheelchair-accessible restrooms, picnic grounds and swimming beach in addition to a ramp for motorized and non-motorized boating and fishing. It is staffed seasonally.[3]

In the news

The film Sea of Trees starring Matthew McConaughey was partially filmed in Ashland State Park in August 2014.[7]

On August 24, 2016, an ultralight helicopter crashed into the Ashland Reservoir after experiencing engine trouble. No one was injured when the craft submerged in water up to 30 feet deep some 200 to 300 yards offshore.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ashland State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Ashland State Park". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Sudbury Reservoir". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  5. ↑ Ishkanian, Ellen (November 10, 2012). "Ashland State Park reopening next year". Boston.com. Globe Newspaper Company. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  6. ↑ McGagh, Ken (June 22, 2013). "Ashland State Park reopens". MetroWest Daily News. Framingham, Mass.: GateHouse Media. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Matthew McConaughey in Ashland for movie". MetroWest Daily News. Framingham, Mass.: GateHouse Media. August 18, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ Miller, Norman (August 25, 2016). "Aircraft crashes in reservoir at Ashland State Park". MetroWest Daily News. Framingham, Mass.: GateHouse Media. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.