Leominster State Forest
Crow Hill Pond
Map showing the location of Leominster State Forest
Map showing the location of Leominster State Forest
Location in Massachusetts
Map showing the location of Leominster State Forest
Map showing the location of Leominster State Forest
Leominster State Forest (the United States)
LocationLeominster, Fitchburg,
Princeton, Sterling,
Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates42°31′15″N 71°50′18″W / 42.52083°N 71.83833°W / 42.52083; -71.83833[1]
Area4,246 acres (17.18 km2)[2]
Elevation984 ft (300 m)[1]
Established1922
OperatorMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteLeominster State Forest

Leominster State Forest is a publicly owned forest with recreational features covering 4,246 acres (1,718 ha) in the Massachusetts towns of Leominster, Fitchburg, Princeton, Sterling, and Westminster. The state forest encompasses an extensive trail system, numerous small ponds, and the Crow Hills. Plants such as mountain laurel are common as is an abundance of wildlife. The forest is headquarters for Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control District 8 and is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.[3][4]

History

The Crow Hill ledges were used by Native Americans for shelter and signaling. Artifacts in the forest include cellar holes, stonewalls, fruit trees and other remnants of Notown, an unincorporated 18th-century settlement that was annexed into adjoining municipalities in 1838.[3][5] The state's first purchase at the site took place in 1922, with expansions seen in many following years including 2002.[6] The Civilian Conservation Corps was active in the forest from 1932 to 1938, constructing a network of roads, working on the park headquarters, and developing the area at Crow Hill Pond.[7]

Activities and amenities

Forest trails for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling include a section of the Massachusetts Midstate Trail. Swimming is permitted at the beach on Crow Hill Pond, which has a bathhouse and picnicking area, and rock climbing takes place on the Crow Hills cliffs. Non-motorized boating is offered at Paradise Pond.[8] Barrett's Pond and Crow Hill Pond are stocked with trout by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.[9] The forest also offers restricted hunting.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Leominster State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ↑ "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Leominster State Forest". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Fire Warden List". Massachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Control. February 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  5. ↑ David Wilder (1853). The History of Leominster. Fitchburg, Mass.: Reveille Office. pp. 20–21. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  6. ↑ Bill Boles. "Leominster State Forest". New England Mountain Bike Association. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  7. ↑ Beth McKinney, ed. (January 1999). "The Civilian Conservation Corps: A Statewide Survey of Civilian Conservation Corps Resources". Massachusetts Office of Historic Resources. pp. 45–46. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Leominster State Forest Recreation". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Trout Stocked Waters - Central District". Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
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