Penwood State Park
Encyclopedia
Bloomfield, Connecticut
Bloomfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,626 at the 2009 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.2 square miles is water.Bloomfield is bordered by Windsor to the...
. Located on Talcott Mountain
Talcott Mountain
Talcott Montain of central Connecticut, with a high point of , is a long trap rock mountain ridge located west of the city of Hartford. The ridge, a prominent landscape feature, forms a continuous line of exposed western cliffs visible across the Farmington River valley from Farmington to Simsbury...
, it is contiguous with the north end of Talcott Mountain State Park
Talcott Mountain State Park
Talcott Mountain State Park is a state park located in Bloomfield, Connecticut. The Heublein Tower, a 165 foot high lookout tower, sits atop Talcott Mountain. The Tower Trail is 1.25 miles long; a walk to the Tower takes approximately 30 – 40 minutes. Also running through the park is a section of...
. The Metacomet Trail
Metacomet Trail
The Metacomet Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trail that traverses the Metacomet Ridge of central Connecticut and is a part of the newly designated New England National Scenic Trail. Despite being easily accessible and close to large population centers, the trail is considered remarkably rugged and...
runs the entire length of the park, in addition to park trails and paved roads accessible by bike.
Penwood State Park was donated to the state in 1944 by Curtis H. Veeder, an industrialist (founder of Gilbarco Veeder-Root
Gilbarco Veeder-Root
Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a subsidiary of the Danaher Corporation, is a supplier of fuel dispensers, point of sale systems, payment systems, forecourt merchandising and support services worldwide...
), inventor, and outdoorsperson. Veeder wished the property to "be kept in a natural state so that those who love nature may enjoy this property as I have enjoyed it." He blazed many of the original trails in the park; Lake Louise, a scenic kettle bog
Kettle (geology)
A kettle is a shallow, sediment-filled body of water formed by retreating glaciers or draining floodwaters.-Overview:...
atop the ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
, was named after his wife.