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The Oxbow (Connecticut River)

 

 
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The Oxbow (Connecticut River)
 
 
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Oxbow (Also known as the Ox-Bow) is an extension of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River

The Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through Western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut....
, located in Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts

Northampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,978 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hampshire County....
. It is famous for its appearance in the 1836 painting The Oxbow
The Oxbow

View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm, commonly known as The Oxbow, is a painting by Thomas Cole....
 by Thomas Cole
Thomas Cole

Thomas Cole was a 19th century United States artist. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century....
. Historically, the Oxbow was connected directly to the Connecticut river as a large U-Shaped bend. In 1840, flood waters cut through the narrow section, separating the Oxbow from the main river and the current. In the early 1900s, the Oxbow was used extensively for logging operations, as a holding area for logs sent down river.






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History


The Oxbow (Also known as the Ox-Bow) is an extension of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River

The Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through Western Massachusetts and central Connecticut into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, Connecticut....
, located in Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts

Northampton is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,978 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hampshire County....
. It is famous for its appearance in the 1836 painting The Oxbow
The Oxbow

View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm, commonly known as The Oxbow, is a painting by Thomas Cole....
 by Thomas Cole
Thomas Cole

Thomas Cole was a 19th century United States artist. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century....
. Historically, the Oxbow was connected directly to the Connecticut river as a large U-Shaped bend. In 1840, flood waters cut through the narrow section, separating the Oxbow from the main river and the current. In the early 1900s, the Oxbow was used extensively for logging operations, as a holding area for logs sent down river. The northern end was later cut off to build Interstate 91
Interstate 91

Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north-south thoroughfare in the western part of New England....
, which runs between the Oxbow and the Connecticut river. The Connecticut river is still accessible by a channel made under Route 91. and Route 5 bridges.

Wildlife


The Oxbow is habitat for many migratory and resident species of birds. The Arcadia wildlife sanctuary (A project of Mass Audubon) protects a total of 776 acres of land which forms the outer shore of the oxbow. Among these species include Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America that is most recognizable as the List of national birds and national symbol of the United States....
, Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret is a small white heron. It is the American counterpart to the very similar Old World Little Egret, which has established a foothold in the Bahamas....
, Cormorant
Cormorant

The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of Genus is disputed....
, Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron , Ardea herodias, is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common over most of North America and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Gal?pagos Islands, except for the far north and deserts and high mountains where there is no water for it to feed in....
, Osprey
Osprey

The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk, is a Diurnality, fish bird of prey. It is a large Bird of prey, reaching 60 centimeters in length with a 1.8 metre wingspan....
,Kingfisher
Kingfisher

Kingfishers are small bright colored birds of the three families Alcedinidae , Halcyonidae , and Cerylidae . There are roughly 90 species of kingfisher....
, Swifts, Gulls, Canadian Geese, and Ducks.

Current Use


The Oxbow is used today primarily for pleasure boating, and is home to one of the largest marinas on the Connecticut River in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation operates a state boat ramp facility accessible from Route 5 in Easthampton. Because it is partially separated from the main river body, boats are protected from strong current and floating debris. Other uses include flat water paddling and fishing. The Oxbow also facilitates the Northampton Youth and Community Rowing Inc. (Also known as "Hamp Crew"), One of the larger scholastic and masters rowing clubs in all of Western Massachusetts. The club offers competitive rowing programs for many schools in the area, including Northampton High School The Oxbow water ski show team also shares facilities.