Description
Kettletown State Park features Lake Zoar, the fifth largest freshwater body in the state, created in 1919, when the Connecticut Light and Power Company constructed the Stevenson Dam to produce hydroelectric power. The water of the Housatonic River feeds the man-made Lake Zoar, a popular site for all manner of water sports.
Geography:
The 600 acre Kettletown State Park is located in Southbury, CT and borders Lake Zoar, an impoundment of the Housatonic River. Kettletown State Park, situated in the towns of Southbury and Oxford, covers 605 acres and was originally inhabited by the Pootatuck Indians, members of the Algonquin group. The park's name refers to the Kettletown Purchase of the 1750's where the white settlers "purchased" the surrounding lands from the Pootatuck Indians in part for a brass kettle. In 1950, the State of Connecticut purchased 455 of the 605 acres in Kettletown with funds left by Edward Carrington of New Haven which he dedicated to the acquisition of public land in the Naugatuck Valley.
Recreation:
The park offers camping, picnicking, hiking and fishing.
Facilities:
Kettletown Campground offers 61 sites in both open and wooded settings. Youth group camping is available. Other park facilities include restrooms and picnic tables.
Nearby Attractions:
State parks in the area include Collis P. Huntington State Park, Kellogg Environmental Center, Indian Well State Park, Osbornedale State Park, and Southford Falls State Park.