Pomeroy State Park Scenic Reserve
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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