Lovers Leap State Park

Lovers Leap State Park
Connecticut State Park
The Housatonic River as viewed from the leap
Named for: The Lovers Leap cliff
overlooking the Housatonic River
Country United States
State Connecticut
County Litchfield
Town New Milford
Elevation 518 ft (158 m) [1]
Coordinates 41°32′42″N 73°24′08″W / 41.54500°N 73.40222°W / 41.54500; -73.40222Coordinates: 41°32′42″N 73°24′08″W / 41.54500°N 73.40222°W / 41.54500; -73.40222 [1]
Area 127 acres (51 ha) [2]
Established 1971
Management Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Location in Connecticut
Website: Lovers Leap State Park

Lovers Leap State Park is a public recreation area on the Housatonic River in the town of New Milford, Litchfield County, Connecticut.[3] The state park's 127 acres (51 ha) straddle the Housatonic Gorge near the intersection of Connecticut Route 67 and Connecticut Route 202. The park offers hiking to scenic and historic locations and is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

History

The park's eastern 52 acres were once the estate of Catherine Judson Hurd, who bequeathed the land to the state for use a public park in 1971. After Connecticut Light and Power sold land on the west side of the gorge to the state, Lovers Leap State Park was dedicated in 2007.[4]

Features

The park's historic features include the 1895 Berlin Iron Bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places,[3] the ruins of the Bridgeport Wood Finishing Company factory,[4] and the remains of the Hurd estate which include the vine-encrusted "yellow cat tea house."[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Lovers Leap State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "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.
  3. 1 2 "Lovers Leap State Park". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. July 18, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Miller, Robert (June 8, 2008). "Preserving a past in ruins". The News-Times. Danbury, Conn. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  5. ↑ Marteka, Peter (September 3, 2010). "View from Lovers Leap State Park like a painting". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
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