Hubbard Park – Montpelier VT

Description

Montpelier Annual Report, 1937:

“In the early summer of 1933 the C. C. C. started improvement work at Hubbard Park under the direction of the Vermont Forest Service cooperating with the Montpelier Park Board. From that time until the fall of 1936, they have accomplished projects which have materially enhanced and made more usable our beautiful park.

All of the interior park roads have been regraded, widened, drained, and graveled. Many of the crooks and formerly muddy spots have been eliminated and all roads are now usable during all of the seasons. The entrance road from Clarendon Avenue to the Tower road has been improved as above mentioned so that now the park is readily accessible either from the east or west side of the city. In all 4 miles of road has been built or improved.

A new bridle trail has been constructed which traverses the entire park area for a distance of two and one half miles touching many new scenic and vista points. This trail can be used in summer by hikers and in winder for snowshoeing or ski trail, thus serving a double purpose. At one point along this bridle trail there has been built a log bar jump for the equestrian use.

A toboggan trail has been opened extending down the east slope between Winter Street entrance and Tower roads.

These projects have been carefully done so as not to cause any disfigurement to the landscape and one feels that they fit into the park so as to compliment it.

The hemlock grove has been developed into a delightful picnic area. The old tree stumps have been removed, dead brush cleaned out and graded. Eight new outdoor fireplaces have been created and new picnic tables installed.

This picnic area has been improved further by blocking up the old road which formerly entered into this area and the construction of a loop road with car parking area a short distance before reaching the hemlock grove. With all this new work the area has retained its natural charm, yet improved enough for greater human enjoyment.

In addition to this recreational work in the Park, forestry work has been carried out. Twenty acres of woodland have been treated by improvement cuttings and pruning through the plantations. About seven acres of land have been reforested with 1,000 red pine and 3,000 Norway spruce.

General clean-up of the dead and down material has been completed throughout the hemlock and mixed hardwood areas, thus reducing the fire hazard condition which formerly existed here.

One large tool house has been completed, thus affording a place to store some of the park equipment and fireplace fuel wood.

Two colonial directional signs have been completed, one to be placed at Winter and Elm Streets, the other at State Street and Bailey Avenue this next spring.

Five thousand man days of work have been expended on our park area by the C. C. C. which the government estimates to be worth $2.50 a day per man, which amounts to $12,500 spend for labor.”