Ellisville Harbor State Park

Ellisville Harbor State Park
Map showing the location of Ellisville Harbor State Park
Map showing the location of Ellisville Harbor State Park
Location in Massachusetts
Map showing the location of Ellisville Harbor State Park
Map showing the location of Ellisville Harbor State Park
Ellisville Harbor State Park (the United States)
LocationEllisville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates41°50′34″N 70°32′13″W / 41.84278°N 70.53694°W / 41.84278; -70.53694[1]
Area97 acres (39 ha)[2]
Elevation0 ft (0 m)[1]
Established1991
Governing bodyMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteEllisville Harbor State Park

Ellisville Harbor State Park is a nature preserve and public recreation area located in the village of Ellisville, Massachusetts, United States, on the western shore of Cape Cod Bay. Natural features of the coastal property include a barrier beach, sphagnum bog, salt marsh, rolling meadows, and red pine forest habitats. Scenic features include views of the South Shore coastline, small fishing boats, harbor seals seen offshore during fall and winter, and birds attracted to the park's bog as both habitat and migration stopover. The state park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.[3]

History

Between 2,500 and 5,000 years ago, prehistoric Native Americans hunted, fished, harvested shellfish, and made tools here. An area of approximately 600 acres (240 ha), which includes at least two Native American sites, was designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) in 1980. The state acquired 100 acres (40 ha) of the ACEC to create the state park in 1991.[4] In its earlier days, the harbor was a busy loading spot for ships taking timber to Boston and for local fishing.[5] The park's reproduction colonial farmstead/tavern property is part of the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Historic Curatorship Program.[6]

Activities and amenities

The park offers opportunities for fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, and beachcombing.[3] A wide main trail of about 350 yards is maintained with a processed stone surface from a parking area to a wide, rocky beach. The endangered piping plovers and least terns nest along a section of the beach which is closed in the spring. Several side trails where poison ivy may cling to trail edges access other areas of the park.

References

  1. ^ a b "Ellisville Harbor State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 7, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Ellisville Harbor State Park". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  4. ^ "Ellisville Harbor". Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  5. ^ Park sign.
  6. ^ "Properties Under Lease" (PDF). Historic Curatorship Program. Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
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