Southford Falls State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southford Falls State Park |
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Eight Mile Brook
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 Southford Falls State Park
Location in Connecticut
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| Location | Oxford & Southbury, Connecticut, United States |
| Area | 126 acres (51 ha) |
| Elevation | 561 ft (171 m) |
| Designation | Connecticut state park |
| Established | 1932 |
| Administrator | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
| Website | Southford Falls State Park |
Southford Falls State Park is a public recreation area covering 126 acres (51 ha) in the towns of Oxford and Southbury, Connecticut. The state park offers fishing, hiking, waterfalls, and a covered bridge over Eight Mile Brook. It is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
History
The fast flowing waters of Eight Mile Brook as it drops steeply from Lake Quassapaug to the Housatonic River provided power for an early industrial complex, which at one time included gristmills, sawmills, and the shops of iron workers, button makers, knife makers, and other skilled tradesmen. Evidence in the channel suggests that man-made improvements were introduced to strengthen the river's flow. At the turn of the 20th century, the Diamond Match Company bought up the site and built a factory for the manufacture of cardboard matchboxes. After the factory burned down for a second time, the site was ceded to the state in 1927. The state park was established in 1932.
Activities and amenities
The park's recreational features include hiking trails, picnicking facilities, skiing and ice-skating in winter, field sports, and fishing. It is a designated Trout Park, stocked weekly with trout from the state's fish hatcheries.
