Nickerson State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area of more than located on

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...

Brewster, Massachusetts Brewster is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population of Brewster was 10,318 at the 2020 census. Brewster is twinned with the town of Budleigh Salterton in the U ...

. The park's sandy soil and scrub pines surround many kettle ponds which are dependent on groundwater and precipitation. The largest of these are

Cliff Pond Cliff Pond is a kettle pond in Brewster, Massachusetts. It is the largest pond in Nickerson State Park and is quite popular with swimmers and fishermen in summer months. Cliff Pond was totally reclaimed in 1960 and, like many kettle ponds has ...

(the largest at across), Flax Pond, Little Cliff Pond, and Higgins Pond. Ruth Pond, Keeler's Pond, Eel Pond, and Triangle Pond provide additional water habitats.

History

The land composing the park was once part of the estate of Samuel Mayo Nickerson (1830–1914), a native of the area and a

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liquor distiller who made a fortune as one of the founding officers of the

First National Bank of Chicago First Chicago Bank was a Chicago-based retail and commercial bank tracing its roots to 1863. Over the years, the bank operated under several names including The First National Bank of Chicago and First Chicago NBD (following its 1995 merger with ...

. In 1890, Nickerson built Fieldstone Hall on land overlooking

Cape Cod Bay A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...

a mile west of the park to be the home of his son Roland C. Nickerson, Roland's wife Addie, and their three children. Fieldstone Hall was lost to fire in 1906, and a larger mansion was built on the same site. That building subsequently became a seminary and is now a major feature of the Ocean Edge resort. Roland Nickerson died at age 51 shortly after Fieldstone Hall burned down, his death at the time being ascribed to his heartache at the loss of his home and personal possessions. His son Roland Jr. was a naval lieutenant who died in the

1918 influenza epidemic The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case was ...

. In 1934, Addie Nickerson donated the portion of the estate on the south side of Route 6a for use as a "state forest park." It became the Commonwealth's first state park and was named in honor of her late husband and late son.

Activities and amenities

*Camping: The park offers more than 400 campsites including cabins and

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s. *Trails: In addition to of roads, the state park has trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback and mountain bike riding, and an set of bicycle trails that connect to the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The bicycle trails bring riders to white pine stands, spruce stands, a cedar swamp, pond views, and woodlands. *Fishing: Cliff, Flax, Little Cliff, and Higgins ponds are stocked yearly with trout. *Other facilities include a boat ramp, lakes for canoeing and swimming, showers, interpretive programs, and an amphitheater. *There are also wheelchair-accessible beaches, camping, fishing and picnicking facilities and restrooms.

References

External links

Nickerson State Park
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Nickerson State Park Trail Map
Department of Conservation and Recreation {{authority control State parks of Massachusetts Massachusetts natural resources Parks in Barnstable County, Massachusetts Campgrounds in Massachusetts Brewster, Massachusetts Protected areas established in 1934 1934 establishments in Massachusetts