Connecticut State Parks
The Connecticut State Parks Include A Fort Once Attacked By The Turncoat Benedict Arnold
There are fifty four Connecticut State Parks in what is the third smallest state in the Union. This New England state gets its name from the Connecticut River which runs almost through the middle of it.
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To find your favorite state park in Connecticut Just Click Here |
Although Connecticut is among the smallest states it is actually the 4th most populated. This is because much of the south and west of the state falls within the New York Metropolitan area. |
The World Famous Yale University Is Based In New Haven, Connecticut
The first European settlers in Connecticut were the Dutch who arrived at the beginning of the 17th century.
However, it was the British who established the first settlements of any size. Thomas Hooker, a Puritan professor of Theology and his followers founded the Connecticut colony while settlers from nearby Massachusetts founded the New Haven and Saybrook colonies.
Eventually in 1662 these three colonies merged to become the British Crown Colony of Connecticut.
Connecticut was one of the thirteen colonies that took part in the American Revolution against British rule. Three Connecticut State Parks recall the state`s involvement in that war .
The first one is Putnam Memorial State Park which is named after Major General Israel Putnam who commanded troops during the conflict.
The other two are Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park and Fort Trumball State Park. These two forts lie either side of the Thames River and defended the port of New London.
The turncoat Benedict Arnold infamously led British troops in an attack against Fort Griswold.
Although Connecticut has a strong maritime tradition, the coast of the state is actually on Long Island Sound and not the Atlantic Ocean.
A number of the more popular Connecticut State Parks are located along this shoreline. Among others there are Hammonasset Beach State Park, Rocky Neck State Park and Sherwood Island State Park.
The Capitol Building In The State Capital, Hartford
The Connecticut state capital is the city of Hartford which is located in the middle of the state on the Connecticut River.
Despite the fairly small area that the state covers there are regional variations in its terrain. The low lying areas close to the shore in the south are totally different to the north west corner of Connecticut where small rural towns lie among low rolling mountains.
Two Connecticut State Parks found in this northern area are Mohawk Mountain State Park and Lovers Leap State Park.
Like many of the states in America, Connecticut does have some unique and unusual parks. One such is Dinosaur State Park which is just a short drive south of the Connecticut state capital.
This park is one of the largest sites of Dinosaur tracks anywhere in the United States.
Gillette Castle State Park, Once The Rather Unusual Home Of The Actor William Gillette
Another unusual park is Gillette Castle State Park. The castle was once the home of the actor William Gillette who had built it early in the 20th century. He was famous for portraying the character of Sherlock Holmes on the stage.
Here is a list of all the Connecticut State Parks
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Here is a map of Connecticut showing its position on Long Island Sound
