Bates Woods

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Bates Woods
Bates Woods Park 1977.png
Bates Woods Park 1977
Bates Woods Park Topographical Map.png
Bates Woods Park topographical map
Type Urban park
LocationNew London, CT
Coordinates 41°21′14″N72°07′16″W / 41.354°N 72.121°W / 41.354; -72.121
Area85 acres (340,000 m2)
Established1912

Bates Woods is approximately 85 acres of historic woodland trails around wetlands and ancient rock ledges in northwest New London, Connecticut. [1] The park accounts for nearly half of the city's 221 acres of public open space, or about 6 percent of New London's total land area. [2]

Contents

Open space map [modified], city of New London, CT. Plan of Conservation and Development (2017). Open space map New London CT POCD 2017 p.59.png
Open space map [modified], city of New London, CT. Plan of Conservation and Development (2017).

A BioBlitz surveying event in 2003 identified 1,691 species in Bates Woods in less than 24 hours, [4] including the goldcap moss-eater moth (Epimartyria auricrinella), which has been called a living fossil. [5] Stone walls and other park features date to the Works Progress Administration and earlier centuries. [6]

Connecticut State Archaeologist Nicholas F. Bellantoni has noted the possibility that evidence of American Indian life could be uncovered in Bates Woods, particularly where stone outcroppings would have provided shelter for migrating tribes. [7]

History

Pre-twentieth century

The natural history of Bates Woods goes back millennia before it was known as Bates Woods. For centuries after the founding of New London in 1646, the area known today as Bates Woods was called Cedar Swamp. The Cedar Swamp is mentioned in the "Incorporation of the City of New London" in its municipal code; the land of John Ashcraft is mentioned, too, after whom Ashcraft Road is named, which feeds into the main eastern entrance of the park today. [8]

This skating pond was created by excavating a former pond in the park. Skating in Bates Woods.jpg
This skating pond was created by excavating a former pond in the park.

In the 18th century, Joshua Hempstead, in his Diary of Joshua Hempstead of New London, Connecticut, Covering a Period of Forty-seven Years, from September 1711, to November, 1758, makes many mentions of his work in the old Cedar Swamp. [9]

In the 19th century, Frances Manwaring Caulkins, the most well-known historian of the city, makes 9 mentions of the Cedar Swamp in her History of New London, Connecticut: From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1860. [10] Of swamps in New London, Caulkins says they "have enjoyed the reputation of being haunted — not generally, however, by ghosts of the dead, but by living bugbears — such as old Indians, deserters from English ships, witches, and trampers." [11]

Twentieth century

Fast forward to the twentieth century and Bates Woods was purchased by park commissioner George S. Palmer on April 2, 1912 at a cost of $8,000 “for [the] purposes of a public park.” [12] A year earlier, the local newspaper reported that “20 men [were] at work to quarry and cut the stone in what is called Bates Woods” for the spire at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea church on Huntington street in downtown New London. [13]

The purchase of 100 acres in Bates Woods for a “picturesque public park” signaled a watershed year for New London, as the city bought hundreds of acres of land for a comprehensive park system that was being designed by landscape architect John Nolen. [14]

During its first decade as a park, however, concern began to grow that Bates Woods was not being properly managed. [15] High school students called for improving the park, [16] and The Tattler section of The Day newspaper expressed a desire for a “bigger and broader policy in the matter of maintaining city parks.” [17]

In 1934 plans were announced to create an ice skating pond. This would involve creating a dam and clearing away the trees and stumps. [18]

Just 3 years later in July of 1937, 50 WPA workers were contracted to create the skating pond, as well as a bridge and dam. The pond was created to accommodate hundreds of skaters, as well as being shallow to increase safety. It would even include an area for hockey matches, the skating pond was set to open that winter. [19]

In 2025, the City finalized a plan for a solar array project in the Park. [20] A driveway has been constructed to provide access to the former landfill for the array's construction. The array will consist of 3,000 panels and was approved by the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission earlier in 2025.

The community group Bates Friends Forever advocates for the protection of the Park. The group is volunteer-driven, regularly organizing clean-ups and engaging New Londoners. [20]


References

  1. ↑ City of New London Office of Development and Planning (1997). Plan of Conservation and Development: City of New London, Connecticut. pp. 4.24, 10.11.
  2. ↑ City of New London Office of Development and Planning (2007). Plan of Conservation and Development: City of New London, Connecticut (PDF). pp. 46, 48, 154. Archived from the original on 2017-10-26. Retrieved 2025-04-11.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ↑ City of New London Office of Development and Planning (2017). Plan of Conservation and Development: City of New London, Connecticut (PDF). p. 59.
  4. ↑ Amanda Falcone (2003). "BioBlitz Team Braves the Rain to Scour New London Locales for Different Species". The Day, Sunday, June 8. p. B7.
  5. ↑ "BioBlitz 2003". mnh.uconn.edu.
  6. ↑ Bates Woods Park: Master Plan: New London, Connecticut. Hamden, CT: Raymond, Parish, Pine & Weiner, Inc. 1977. p. 1.
  7. ↑ Bethe Dufresne (2003). "State Archaeologist Digs Bates Woods". The Day, Wednesday, October 1. pp. B1, B6.
  8. ↑ "New London, CT, Municode Codification". Code of Ordinances, Supplement 25. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  9. ↑ Joshua Hempstead (1970). Diary of Joshua Hempstead of New London, Connecticut. New London: The New London County Historical Society.
  10. ↑ Frances Manwaring Caulkins (1895). A History of New London, Connecticut: From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1860. New London: H. D. Utley.
  11. ↑ Frances Manwaring Caulkins (1895). A History of New London, Connecticut: From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1860. New London: H. D. Utley. p. 122.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ "St. Mary's Spire to be Completed by August 15". The Day, Friday, April 28. 1911. p. 12.
  14. ↑ John Nolen (1913). General Plan of a Park and Playground System for New London, Conn. Boston: Press of G. H. Ellis Co.
  15. ↑ "Things Told by the Tattler". The Day, Tuesday, July 10. 1917. p. 7.
  16. ↑ "High School Students See Ways to Improve City". The Day, Thursday, March 27. 1919. p. 10.
  17. ↑ "Things Told by the Tattler". The Day, Saturday, April 12. 1919. p. 6.
  18. ↑ "FERA Workers Building New Roads in Bates Woods; Huge Gateway Erected". The Day, Saturday, September 8. 1934. p. 20.
  19. ↑ Angus Mackay, Jr. (1937). "50 WPA Workers Creating Pond in Bates Woods". The Day, Saturday, July 24. p. 6.
  20. 1 2 Greg Smith (2025). "Volunteers Look to Reclaim Bates Wood[s] Park". The Day, Sunday, March 9. p. B1, B4.


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