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Weir Farm is a National Historic Site. Coltsville in Hartford is in the process of becoming the same.
According to the National Park Service, Connecticut also includes portions of the Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor:
"Discover the beauty of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor! Spanning 35 towns in northeastern Connecticut and south-central Massachusetts, The Last Green Valley is surprisingly rural and uniquely historic. With 1,100 square miles that are still 77% forests and farms, the pastoral landscape is interspersed with powerful rivers, mill villages, and vibrant town centers." (From https://www.nps.gov/state/ct/index.htm)
There are also some historic trails that run partially through CT (from the National Park Service website):
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
New England National Scenic Trail
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
I suppose any of the above can be contenders for a possible National Park.
Coltsville in Hartford is a National Historical Park. It’s centered around the historic Colt Armory where Colt Firearms were manufactured 150 years ago. That’s about as close as you will get here. Jay
There is a large (for CT) area that is almost entirely forest including and contiguous with Bigelow Hollow State Park that continues into MA. Nearly all of Union, parts of Eastford, Ashford, Pomfret and Woodstock (maybe other CT towns). It is partly owned by Yale, a few camps (e.g., Hole in the Wall, Boy Scouts, 4H) and the state; and I think considered part of the “Last Green Valley.” Personally, I don’t think it is interesting enough to be a National Park and would rather keep it free from high traffic use.
Best contender IMO would be the mountain ridge (that's part of the Taconics) in the far-northwestern corner of the state, which includes Bear Mountain and Riga Lake in CT, Brace Mountain in NY, and the Mount Washington State Forest area in MA. The area is largely untouched and offers some spectacular rolling terrain with many unique vantage points. The Appalachian Trial also runs through there. It would probably do best as a National Forest.
Last edited by CT_Native; 12-27-2019 at 10:38 AM..
A national park would be a great thing not only for residents but to attract much needed tourist money. I traveled the country once and when I got back to New England I came to the earth shattering conclusion that there was a lot more room in the rest of the country and that around here, it's mostly been used up long ago. Then again, we don't have any spectacular attractions that I can think of, no grand canyon or geysers spouting. Maine does have Acadia. MA has the National Seashore.
I think maybe the state could do more with the state parks though. Harkness Memorial Park, for instance, is really beautiful but I never would have known it was there if I hadn't been there 40 years ago. Didn't used to be anything there, not that I remember, but it looks like somebody's done something and it's an impressive place now. I took a cousin there last year. She is a life long CT resident and had never heard of the place.
Essex and that area is lovely and historic. The Valley Railroad is still there as an attraction for train rides and even a dinner train, there's a museum of the CT River Valley, the shops in Essex are a joy! The Griswold Inn is ancient and it's directly across from the charming shops. Maybe more tourists would spoil it but maybe not.
If the state had more of an advertising budget, maybe they could get the word out on these gorgeous CT attractions. From what I heard, money is not available for tourist advertising though. So probably not for a national park but I think they would advertise the wonderful state parks and other attractions.
For a place to be considered for designation as a national park, it must meet the following criteria: It must possess a unique natural, cultural, or recreational resource. It must be in need of protection, and no organization other than the National Park Service would be able to secure adequate protection.
The North Woods of Maine is probably the closest place that could be considered.
Isn't National Parks in the Northeast in general pretty uncommon? The only one I can honestly think of off the top of my head is Acadia in Maine. Correct me if I'm wrong, I think I am at least a little wrong (i.e. maybe one or two others like maybe up in NH or VT....I am not counting Gettysburg in PA since that's also a "National Historical Park" and the Catskills and Adirondacks are special cases that they have "national preservation" rights but are not national parks per se).
Just for kicks, I looked up what's in New England:
Maine
Acadia National Park
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Maine Acadian Heritage Council
Roosevelt Campobello International Park
St. Croix Island International Historic Site
New Hampshire
Saint-Gudens National Historical Park
Vermont
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
North Country National Scenic Trail
Green Mountain National Forest
Massachusetts
Adams National Historical Park
Boston National Historical Park
Boston African American Historic Site
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Cape Cod National Seashore
Essex National Heritage Area
Frederick Law Olmstead National Historic Site
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Lowell National Historical Park
Minute Man National Historical Park
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Rhode Island
Roger Williams National Memorial
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
Connecticut
Weir Farm National Historic Site
Appalachian Scenic National Trail - ME, NH, VT, MA, CT
White Mountain National Forest - ME, NH
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park - MA, RI
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor - MA, RI
Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor - MA, CT
New England National Scenic Trail - MA, CT
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail - MA, RI, CT
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