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Houghton's Pond

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Lake in Massachusetts, United States of America

Houghton's Pond
Houghton's Pond
Location of Houghton's Pond in Massachusetts, USA.Location of Houghton's Pond in Massachusetts, USA.Houghton's PondShow map of MassachusettsLocation of Houghton's Pond in Massachusetts, USA.Location of Houghton's Pond in Massachusetts, USA.Houghton's PondShow map of the United States
LocationMilton, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°12′26″N 71°5′44″W / 42.20722°N 71.09556°W / 42.20722; -71.09556
TypeGlacial Pond
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area24 acres (97,000 m)
Max. depth42 ft (13 m)

Houghton's Pond is a spring-fed kettle hole pond in Milton, Massachusetts, south of Boston. Like many ponds and lakes in the United States, it was formed by receding glaciers about 10,000 years ago. By the standard definition of lakes being bodies of water larger than 20 acres (8.1 ha), the 24-acre (9.7 ha) pond is technically a lake.

The pond is located within the Blue Hills Reservation and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Massachusett tribe once fished the pond and hunted in the woodlands that surround it. The local indian tribe called it Hoosic-Whisick, but around 1690, a British settler named Ralph Houghton bought 360 acres of forest and land (including the pond) to farm. He used the pond as a source of ice, drinking water and fish. His 1690 farmhouse was demolished in 1894 during the development of the Blue Hills Reservation and once stood where the refreshment stand now stands.

The area is a popular destination for Massachusetts residents in all seasons. Near the city limits of Boston, the setting offers people the chance to quickly immerse themselves in a natural surrounding. The pond offers a visitor center, an exhibit of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) memorabilia, supervised swimming area, stocked fishing, picnic areas, and various outdoor sports. The refreshment stand is on the National Register of Historic Places. The pond is surrounded by an array of hiking trails within the Blue Hills Reservation. The area is most popular in the summer for swimming and cook-outs.

Gallery

  • A plaque thanking those who contributed to the visitor center exhibit. A plaque thanking those who contributed to the visitor center exhibit.

See also

References

  1. "Houghton's Pond Recreation Area". Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  2. pond, cited datum, wikipedia, 2008, the largest range of areas definitions for ponds tabulated top out circa 20 acres (8.1 ha). In the various older definitions used in the biological sciences, it is also a lake. The "light to bottom" criteria might be viable depending upon water turbidity.
  3. "CCC Camp: Blue Hills Reservation - Milton MA - Living New Deal". The Living New Deal. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
Lakes and ponds of Massachusetts by drainage system
Lakes
Connecticut River Watershed
Housatonic River Watershed
Merrimack River Watershed
Providence River Watershed
Taunton River Watershed
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Ponds
Agawam River Watershed
Connecticut River Watershed
Eel River Watershed
Jones River Watershed
Mattapoisett River Watershed
Merrimack River Watershed
Taunton River Watershed
Wankinco River Watershed
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