Putnam Memorial State Park
Encyclopedia
Putnam Memorial State Park is named for Major General Israel Putnam
who chose the site as the winter encampment for his men during the winter of 1778/1779. The former American Revolutionary War
encampment and park is located at the intersection of Route 107 and Route 58
in Redding, Connecticut
, in the United States of America. The park also has many natural wonders including a cave and many large erratics
.
There are numerous firebacks, which are the remains of the enlisted soldiers chimneys, as well as reconstructed replicas of the guard house
and an officers quarters.
There is a 40 feet (12.2 m) monument commemorating the commanding officers and men who were stationed there.
The park was established in 1887 by Redding resident Charles Burr Todd
.
In 1969 at age 93, the sculptress Anna Hyatt Huntington
donated the equestrian statue of General Israel Putnam which is situated at the entrance to the park. It depicts the horse going down steps. The legend states in February 1779, General Putnam escaped a cohort of British Dragoons riding his horse down 100 stone steps at Horses Neck, Greenwich, Connecticut
.
Collis P. Huntington State Park
nearby in Bethel, Newtown & Redding is named for the father of the husband of Anna Hyatt Huntington.
and the Hudson River Valley.
Many of these men were the same who had suffered at Valley Forge
the previous winter.
The 2nd Canadian Regiment
, or Congress' own, under the command of Moses Hazen
and the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment
under the command of Enoch Poor
were stationed at the current park.
Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam was an American army general and Freemason who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
who chose the site as the winter encampment for his men during the winter of 1778/1779. The former American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
encampment and park is located at the intersection of Route 107 and Route 58
Route 58 (Connecticut)
Route 58 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut connecting the towns of Fairfield and Bethel. Route 58 is long and is one of the primary routes to the downtown Danbury area via Routes 302 and 53.-Route description:...
in Redding, Connecticut
Redding, Connecticut
Mark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
, in the United States of America. The park also has many natural wonders including a cave and many large erratics
Glacial erratic
A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. "Erratics" take their name from the Latin word errare, and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres...
.
Background
The park contains a visitors center and a museum both with artifacts found at the park and donated items. The exhibits demonstrate colonial life and honor the men who were stationed there.There are numerous firebacks, which are the remains of the enlisted soldiers chimneys, as well as reconstructed replicas of the guard house
Guardhouse
A guardhouse is a building used to house personnel and security equipment...
and an officers quarters.
There is a 40 feet (12.2 m) monument commemorating the commanding officers and men who were stationed there.
The park was established in 1887 by Redding resident Charles Burr Todd
Charles Burr Todd
Charles Burr Todd was an American historian.-Biography:He was born at Redding, Connecticut, educated at the common schools, and fitted for college, but failure of eyesight prevented him from entering...
.
In 1969 at age 93, the sculptress Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Hyatt Huntington
Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington was an American sculptor.-Life and career:Huntington was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her father, Alpheus Hyatt, was a professor of paleontology and zoology at Harvard University and MIT, and served as a contributing factor to her early interest in animals and...
donated the equestrian statue of General Israel Putnam which is situated at the entrance to the park. It depicts the horse going down steps. The legend states in February 1779, General Putnam escaped a cohort of British Dragoons riding his horse down 100 stone steps at Horses Neck, Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
.
Collis P. Huntington State Park
Collis P. Huntington State Park
Collis P. Huntington State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Characterized by its life-like sculptures of bears and wolves that welcome visitors, Huntington is a setting featuring open fields and dense woodlands. The park was donated to the citizens of Connecticut by the...
nearby in Bethel, Newtown & Redding is named for the father of the husband of Anna Hyatt Huntington.
History
There were over 3000 men sent into winter quarters spread throughout 3 camps in Redding. These camps were established to keep an eye on the storehouses in Danbury, CT and to protect the Long Island SoundLong Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
and the Hudson River Valley.
Many of these men were the same who had suffered at Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
the previous winter.
The 2nd Canadian Regiment
2nd Canadian Regiment
The 2nd Canadian Regiment, also known as Congress' Own or Hazen's Regiment, was authorized on January 20, 1776, and raised in the province of Quebec for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Moses Hazen. All or part of the regiment saw action at the Staten Island,...
, or Congress' own, under the command of Moses Hazen
Moses Hazen
Moses Hazen was a Brigadier General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he saw action in the French and Indian War with Rogers' Rangers. His service included particularly brutal raids during the Expulsion of the Acadians and...
and the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment
2nd New Hampshire Regiment
The 2nd New Hampshire Regiment, also known as the 8th Continental Regiment, was formed in early May of 1775, as the second of three Continental Army regiments raised by the state of New Hampshire during the American Revolutionary War. Its first commander was Colonel Enoch Poor, with Joseph Cilley...
under the command of Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor was a brigadier general in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He was a ship builder and merchant from Exeter, New Hampshire.-Biography:...
were stationed at the current park.
The park today
The park hosts an annual reenactment in late October and a guided winter walk in December as well as weekend events in late July and early August. Please check the website Friends of Putnam Park for further information.External links
- Connecticut Parks Department: Putnam Memorial State Park
- Connecticut Parks Department: Geology of Putnam Memorial State Park
- Connecticut's Valley Forge
- History of Putnam Memorial State Park in Redding, Connecticut
- Gerry Dougherty's Photos of Putnam Memorial State Park
- Map of Self-guided Walk
- Friends of Putnam Park