Last updated: October 23, 2024
Place
The Pogue
NPS Photo / Sczomak
Quick Facts
Location:
Moderate hike just under 1 mile up carriage road
Significance:
During George Perkins Marsh's time on this land, the Pogue was a spring-fed fen. Frederick Billings dredged and dammed it in the 1880s to provide water for his estate. The Pogue provides a diversity of habitats for wildlife, including fish, turtles, frogs, ducks, herons.
Designation:
Pond/wetland
Amenities
1 listed
Scenic View/Photo Spot
The Pogue is a man-made, 14-acre pond nestled in the hills of the park's Mount Tom Forest. Originally, this area was a spring-fed, swampy depression located below the park’s tallest point. Frederick Billings facilitated the pond's creation in the 1880s when an earthen dam was constructed. It is rumored to be bottomless! The origin of its name is still in question; one theory suggests it is derived from an old Scottish word, given to the boggy area by an early settler in Woodstock.
Today, the Pogue provides habitat for fish, turtles, frogs, ducks, herons, and more!
Pogue Pond Rules:
- No wading or swimming
- No fishing
- No pets allowed in pond
- Keep dogs on a 6 ft. leash
- Carry out all trash