Pomeroy State Park

Connecticut State Park

203 acres in Lebanon, CT

Parking: A small unofficial pull off near 93 Beaumont Hwy Lebanon provides access

Trail Map         Trails: None           Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Pomeroy State Park is completely undeveloped and one of Connecticut’s ‘scenic reserve‘ state parks.  I had driven past this park for years always seeing the rough pull-off just behind the Lebanon town sign, but never dared to pull in.  I knew that there were no established hiking trails, but as is often the case with these scenic reserves I assumed there would be a few woods roads to stomp down.

I finally decided to explore Pomeroy in spring 2020 by starting at the utility corridor gate as the DEEP site formerly suggested.  I walked down the powerlines hoping for an obvious start, but quickly resigned to bushwhacking.  I made my way down hill past vernal pools and marshy areas towards the pull off I knew was there.  Sure enough there is a perfectly suitable “driveway” with even enough room for a small car to turn around.  And a woods road does continue for a few hundred feet in either direction parallel to Rt. 289.

I thought about climbing up to the summit of Bush Hill at the western edge of the park, but instead wandered up a small ridge and among some large erratics before making my way back to the powerlines.

There is a lot of potential in this park, should it ever be developed, though with almost 70 years of existence already I don’t think we should hold our breath for hiking.

Hunting

Hunting, however, is where Pomeroy State Park shines.  It is a ‘Designated Fall Deer/Turkey Bowhunting Only Area’ property that is completely wild and mostly clear to maneuver.

History:

Established as a park in 1953, it is named for Charles Pomeroy.  Joseph Leary in his book A Shared Landscape claims that this was the 90 acre estate of Pomeroy.  I was able to find a Charles Backus Pomeroy but this biography says that he lived on South Street in Willimantic, was “a dealer in real estate and a prominent farmer in the town of Willimantic” and “owns large tracts of real estate in and around Willimantic” which makes him a likely candidate, but he was a Sheriff and First Selectman with no mention of textiles.  Perhaps I’ll contact Mr. Leary to get his source, until then we’ll just say a Pomeroy owned this land.

Links:

Connecticut A to Z – Pomeroy State Park (2016)

Charles Backus Pomeroy Biography (?)

Leary, Joseph (2004). A Shared Landscape: A Guide & History of Connecticut’s State Parks & Forests. Hartford, Conn.: Friends of the Connecticut State Parks, Inc. p. 148.

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