Franny Reese State Park

Franny Reese State Park
View of Poughkeepsie from a scenic overlook in the park
Franny Reese State Park is located in New York
Franny Reese State Park
Location of Franny Reese State Park within New York State
TypeState park
LocationHaviland Road
Highland, New York[1]
Nearest cityPoughkeepsie, New York
Coordinates41°42′15″N 73°57′24″W / 41.7041°N 73.9566°W / 41.7041; -73.9566
Area251 acres (1.02 km2)[2]
Created2009 (2009)[1]
Operated by
OpenAll year
WebsiteFranny Reese State Park

Franny Reese State Park is a 251-acre (1.02 km2) state park[2] located in the Town of Lloyd in Ulster County, New York. The park is managed by Scenic Hudson[3] and is part of the Palisades Interstate Park system.[4]

History

The land comprising Franny Reese State Park was once an estate known as "Cedar Glen", built in the mid-19th century by painless dentistry pioneer Charles H. Roberts. After Roberts' death, the estate fell into disrepair as his heirs fought over ownership of the property.[5]

The property was purchased in 2003 by Scenic Hudson,[6] a not-for-profit environmental organization that aims to conserve land along the Hudson River between Albany and New York City. It opened as a state park in 2009, shortly after the land's ownership was transferred to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, although Scenic Hudson continues to manage the property.[1]

The park is named for environmentalist Frances "Franny" Reese (1917-2003), who worked to conserve lands in the Hudson River region.[1]

Park description

Franny Reese State Park's main feature is its 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of hiking trails along old carriage roads that may also be used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter. The trails offer views of the Hudson River, the nearby Mid-Hudson Bridge, the Walkway over the Hudson, and the City of Poughkeepsie across the river.[1][4] Ruins of the 19th century mansion are also visible within the park.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Franny Reese State Park". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Section O: Environmental Conservation and Recreation, Table O-9". 2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook (PDF). The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. 2014. p. 672. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  3. ^ "Franny Reese State Park". Scenic Hudson. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Franny Reese State Park, NY". Palisades Parks Conservancy. Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  5. ^ Conners, Bill (June 11, 2014). "Hiking: Franny Reese Park offers stellar views". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  6. ^ "A fitting tribute to an inspirational woman". Scenic Hudson. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  7. ^ Kopchik, Lauren (October 20, 2015). "The Trail Marker: Let your feet do the thinking at Franny Reese park". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
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