Wharton Brook State Park

Wharton Brook State Park is a public recreation area located off U.S. Route 5 in the towns of North Haven and Wallingford, Connecticut.[3] Activities in the 96-acre (39 ha) state park center on Allen Brook Pond, a 5-acre (2.0 ha) pond that empties into Wharton Brook.[4] The park is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Wharton Brook State Park
Allen Brook Pond in Wharton Brook SP at dusk
Location in Connecticut
LocationNorth Haven and Wallingford, Connecticut, United States
Coordinates41°25′32″N 72°50′12″W[1]
Area96 acres (39 ha)[2]
Elevation39 ft (12 m)[1]
DesignationConnecticut state park
Established1919
AdministratorConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
WebsiteWharton Brook State Park

History

The state park was established as a precursor of the modern highway rest stop, with picnic grounds, a camping area, and services for automobiles. It opened on August 1, 1919, as the first of what the State Park Commission intended to be a series of "Wayside Parks" created in the more heavily traveled areas of the state.[5]

On May 15, 2018, an EF1 tornado that transitioned into a microburst caused significant damage to the park, forcing officials to close the park for an unspecified period of time. The park has reopened on January 14, 2019.[3]

Activities and amenities

The park offers fishing, swimming, picnicking, and several short footpaths totaling less than a mile in distance.[6] The park is one of the state's designated trout parks that are stocked with trout on opening day and at other times of the year.[7] Great blue herons and other wildlife may be found in the park.

References
  1. "Wharton Brook 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-4. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  3. "Wharton Brook State Park". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. July 28, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  4. "Allen Brook Pond" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. September 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  5. Report of the State Park and Forest Commission to the Governor 1920 (Report). Hartford, Conn.: State of Connecticut. December 28, 1920. p. 27. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  6. "Wharton Brook State Park" (PDF). South Central Regional Council of Governments. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  7. "Trout Parks". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
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