Osbornedale State Park in Derby and Ansonia, Connecticut: recreation for better health

Pickett’s pond at Osbornedale State Park
is home to a wide array of flora and fauna.
Photo credit: Joyce E.M. Wall

There is something therapeutic about being close to nature especially when it includes beautiful scenery and a pond filled with fish and geese. If you are looking for a way to relieve stress and get more in touch with nature, Osbornedale State Park in Derby and Ansonia, Connecticut offers just that…an active, yet serene, atmosphere filled with the beauty of nature that is sure to have an impact on improving your health.

History [1][2]
Osbornedale State Park was once the hunting grounds of the Paugussett Indians. In 1642, a European fur trader, John Wakeman, moved into the Indians' territory. Permanent settlers followed and the lands within the park were subsequently used for silver mining, spring water bottling and, eventually, for farming. In 1907, Frances Osborne (who later married Waldo Kellogg), granddaughter of John W. Osborne, one of Naugatuck Valley's early industrial entrepreneurs, inherited the land from her father. In 1956, Frances Osborne Kellogg, willed Osbornedale State Park to the people of Connecticut. It is a large property inclusive of 350 acres of land and is located in the Naugatuck Valley hills just east of the Housatonic River in Derby and Ansonia, Connecticut. The front of the park is located across from Derby High School on Chatfield Street.

Entrance to the park; Derby High School (inset)
and the new middle school are across the street.
Photo credit: Joyce E.M. Wall

Recreational Activities
The park offers a quiet, beautiful nature setting with hiking trails and a scenic pond (Pickett’s pond). There is a pavilion set in front of the pond with a fireplace and picnic tables for outings. Fishing is permitted, and there is a trodden hiking trail that runs through a beautiful wooded area. The park can be enjoyed through all seasons of the year. In the winter, the pond is ideal for ice skating; and the rolling landscape, at various points in the park, provides ideal slopes for sled riding.

Recreational activities include fishing,
picnics, hiking, walking, and relaxing.
Photo credit: Joyce E.M. Wall

On Pickett’s Pond
The pond has something for everyone. You can paddleboat, fish, feed the geese, ice skate in the winter, or just sit back and observe the natural events in and around Pickett’s pond. Canadian geese inhabit the pond area and offer companionship and a relaxing type of entertainment for people who visit there. People often feed them bread crumbs and biscuits (by the way, they really like dog biscuits). Sometimes the geese hiss (they actually seem to be speaking), and they tussle with one another, as they compete for the bits of bread crumbs that people toss their way. There are lily pads scattered among areas of the pond’s surface and tadpoles just underneath that are scrambling in all directions as they are just beginning their life’s venture. Sometimes, you will see a water-loving dog that will dive into the pond to retrieve a stick that was thrown in by its owner.

Osbornedale State Park in Derby and Ansonia, Connecticut;
recreation and beautiful scenery for everyone to enjoy on
Pickett’s Pond and the hiking trails.
Video credit: Joyce E.M. Wall

Relax and stay a while!
An excellent way to maintain good health is to lower your stress levels through some form of activity. The park offers a great way to do that in terms of recreational opportunities that include a hiking trail, beautiful trees, a well-maintained landscape, and Pickett’s pond. Familiar sights include people sitting by the pond, walking the trails, exercising their dog, paddleboating, fishing, ice skating, and sled riding. As you drive by or go through the park, you can hear the laughter and feel the calmness that reflects the beautiful nature that embraces all who visit there. Frequent visitors include:

John Barber of Oxford, Connecticut fishes in Pickett’s pond. He states “I come here for relaxation; I’m retired. It’s a nice place. Mrs. Kellogg left it to people to enjoy and walk around the park; it’s good to have open space like this. I have 10 acres of land; other people don’t have that much so they can get out [here]. There are also lots of picnics.”
Stanley Bomba comes to the park often to spend time with his friends. He says “It’s a beautiful park compared to what it was. Mrs. Kellogg, when she died, she willed the land to the state.” He also says “We solve all the problems in the world here…but nobody listens to us.” He also advises people to “Go in the woods when it starts to snow; if it’s quiet, you can hear the snow coming down. It’s peaceful. It’s free.”
Dan Ventre is Stanley’s friend and also comes to the park often. He says “I come here and it’s so peaceful here.”
Gerry Green also visits the park often along with his dog, Sugar. He knows a lot about the history of the park and he states “I come here every day. It’s a beautiful place to relax. It is 350 acres. My dog, Sugar, loves this place!”

Frequent visitors of the park include Stanley Bomba,
Dan Ventre, Gerry Green, and Sugar.
Photo credit: Joyce E.M. Wall

Spending time at Osbornedale State Park is sure to leave you with some benefit. You can go for a walk, fish, hike, picnic, or relax and observe the natural surroundings, which is sure to lower your stress levels. A visit to this park is a holistic experience that allows you to recreate or relax your way to a better state of health for your mind and body. With all that it offers through its natural beauty, you are left with a feeling of exhilaration as well as a sense of peace and fulfillment.