Elmore State Park
Encyclopedia
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
located in Elmore, Vermont
Elmore, Vermont
Elmore is a town in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Colonel Samuel Elmore, a landowner. The population was 849 at the 2000 census...
. The history of the park began in 1934, when the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Elmore and several of its residents gave the state of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
a gift of 30 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s. This occurred during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and the state set the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
to work transforming the gift of land into a park. Originally, the park consisted of only a beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
and picnic shelter
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
. Since that time, however, the park's area has grown to 755 acres (3.1 km²), and the park is staffed by the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.
The Elmore State Park, located along New England Interstate Route 12, now features a campground (added in 1963). The beach is arguably the largest draw, being popular with locals and visitors alike. On April 29, 2002, the Elmore State Park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
due to its creation by the CCC. It has easy access to hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails on Elmore Mountain.
The state park is relatively close to the Stowe Recreation Path
Stowe Recreation Path
The Stowe Recreation Path, also called the Stowe Bike Path, is a greenway located in Stowe, Vermont, United States The recreation trail was built in two phases, 1981–84 and 1986–89, at a total cost of US$680,000...
, the Trapp Family Lodge
Trapp Family Lodge
The Trapp Family Lodge is a , three-and-a-half-star resort located in Stowe, Vermont, United States. The lodge is managed by Sam von Trapp and his father Johannes von Trapp.- History :...
, and the Ben and Jerry's Waterbury, Vermont
Waterbury, Vermont
Waterbury is a town in Washington County in central Vermont, in the United States. It is also the name of a village within that town. The population was 4,915 at the 2000 census.-Economy:-Industry:...
base of operations.