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Osbornedale State Park

Coordinates: 41°20′10″N 73°06′02″W / 41.33611°N 73.10056°W / 41.33611; -73.10056
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Osbornedale State Park
Rock
One of the park's glacial erratics
Osbornedale State Park is located in Connecticut
Osbornedale State Park
Osbornedale State Park
Osbornedale State Park is located in the United States
Osbornedale State Park
Osbornedale State Park
LocationDerby, Connecticut, United States
Coordinates41°20′10″N 73°06′02″W / 41.33611°N 73.10056°W / 41.33611; -73.10056[1]
Area417 acres (169 ha)[2]
Elevation200 ft (61 m)[1]
Established1956
Administered byConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DesignationConnecticut state park
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata


Osbornedale State Park is a public recreation area occupying 417 acres (169 ha) on the east bank of the Housatonic River primarily in the town of Derby, Connecticut, with a small portion in Ansonia. The state park includes the historic Osborne Homestead, the Kellogg Environmental Center, and an extensive system of hiking trails. The park is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.[3]

History

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The park was formerly the estate of the Osborne family, the owners of metalworking and textile product factories in the Naugatuck Valley area. Frances Osborne Kellogg and her husband, Waldo Kellogg, assembled the property through the acquisition of several farms. The Kelloggs operated two successful farming operations on the land under the name of Osbornedale Farms. One farm specialized in breeding Osbornedale Holstein cows and the other produced milk from a herd of Jersey cows. Prior uses of the park land included silver mining in the years after the American Revolutionary War and bottling of spring water. The 350-acre (140 ha) estate was given to the state of Connecticut by Frances Osborne Kellogg upon her death in 1956.[3][4]

Activities and amenities

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The park preserves the historic Osbornedale house, which offers tours,[5] as well as an adjacent property that is part of the state's resident curator program.[6] The Kellogg Environmental Center offers educational programs.[7] Hiking trails, a pond for fishing and ice skating, and picnicking facilities are also available.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Picketts Pond". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  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-1. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Osbornedale State Park". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  4. ^ "Osborne Homestead Museum". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. May 2024. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  5. ^ "History of the Osborne Family". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. August 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  6. ^ Villers, Patricia (October 13, 2010). "State's resident curator program launched at Derby historic house". New Haven Register. New Haven, Conn. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
  7. ^ "Kellogg Environmental Center". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. March 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
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