Snake Den State Park
Encyclopedia
Snake Den State Park is a Rhode Island state park in Providence County
, Rhode Island
in the United States. The park is 1000 acres (404.7 ha) and sits at an elevation of 394 feet (120.1 m). The park includes a working farm
and is largely undeveloped with limited recreational opportunities. The park is open year round and features walking trails that provide visitors with opportunities to view the farm and wildlife of the park. Snake Den State Park is on U.S. Route 6
in Johnston
.
in the greater Providence
metropolitan area. Another purpose of the park is to relieve pressure from visitors to other parks in the Providence area. The state also would like to maintain the farm as a working farm in order to preserve a part of Rhode Island's "rich but diminishing agricultural heritage."
that would be brought to the area. The state had planned on building an "environmentally friendly" water park. Funds raised from the water park would've been used to develop the rest of the park.
Providence County, Rhode Island
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 621,602 people, 239,936 households, and 152,839 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,504 people per square mile . There were 253,214 housing units at an average density of 613 per square mile...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in the United States. The park is 1000 acres (404.7 ha) and sits at an elevation of 394 feet (120.1 m). The park includes a working farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
and is largely undeveloped with limited recreational opportunities. The park is open year round and features walking trails that provide visitors with opportunities to view the farm and wildlife of the park. Snake Den State Park is on U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
in Johnston
Johnston, Rhode Island
Johnston is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 28,769 at the 2010 census. Johnston is the site of the Clemence Irons House a stone-ender museum and the only landfill in Rhode Island...
.
History
Snake Den State Park was purchased by Rhode Island on October 10, 1969 from the Palazzi family. The Palazzi's had preserved the farm in a historic condition that dates back to the 18th century. The farm, known as the Dame Farm, was previously owned by the Steere and Dame families of Johnston. A Steere family cemetery lies within the park.Park uses
One of the purposes of establishing a state park at the farm was to preserve open spaceOpen space
Open space may refer to:In urban planning and conservation ethics* Landscape, areas of land without human-built structures*Open space reserve, areas of protected or conserved land on which development is indefinitely set aside...
in the greater Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
metropolitan area. Another purpose of the park is to relieve pressure from visitors to other parks in the Providence area. The state also would like to maintain the farm as a working farm in order to preserve a part of Rhode Island's "rich but diminishing agricultural heritage."
Recreation
Snake Den State Park is named for Snake Den which is a "canyon like fissure" within the park. In addition to the working farm, Snake Den State Park, features a self-guided walking trail that passes through the forest of the park and by the farm. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Parks and Recreations Division is developing a master plan to develop the park. The goal is to preserve the working farm which is located to the rear of the property and develop traditional state park facilities such as picnic areas and playing fields. A 2005 plan by the state to develop a waterpark at Snake Den State Park was defeated by the citizens of Johnston who were concerned the with amount of trafficTraffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
that would be brought to the area. The state had planned on building an "environmentally friendly" water park. Funds raised from the water park would've been used to develop the rest of the park.