Today, Lake Quinsigamond faces many challenges. Quinsigamond State Park consists of two sites located on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester: Regatta Point and Lake Park. He preserved a section on the southeast side as Quinsigamond Forest, where visitors could take a leisurely strolls through the woods. And either is a great place to have a picnic. Several ethnic organizations also established clubs on the lake’s shores. On Tuesday, a bulldozer was tearing up the old turf in preparation for the installment of new turf on the park’s football field and a brand new walking and running track around the field. Visitors of the lake can enjoy fishing for trout, bass, salmon, and more as well as swimming at the public beach at Quinsigamond State Park. Lake Ave. runs alongside the western end of the lake, for 4 miles between Sunderland Rd. Quinsigamond State Park is a public recreation area comprising two day-use areas along the western shore of Lake Quinsigamond in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. There was a pony track for youngsters. The first stable bridge over Lake Quinsigamond (the fourth such attempt overall) was an earthen causeway, finished in 1863. Or use our wind forecast to find the Colburn was also instrumental in developing the Worcester and Shrewsbury Railroad, which linked Union Station to Lincoln Park. Contemporary public opinion likened the causeway to an 'eyesore' and an 'abomination'. It is 4 miles (6 km) long, between 50 and 85 feet (15 and 26 m) deep, and has a surface area of approximately 772 acres. If you would like more information on any of these Lake Quinsigamond real estate listings, just click the "Request More Information" button when viewing the details of that property. One such club, the Tatassit Canoe Club, was founded by a group of men in 1889, and the group built a clubhouse on Plum Island in 1891. The largest island, Drake Island, is still state owned. He bought Ramshorn Island and built Quinsigamond House Hotel in 1867. Celebrities who performed at White City included Jerry Vale, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka and Edie Gorme. This lovely park, as the name might indicate, is located immediately on the shores of Lake Quinsigamond. An elder apartment complex now stands on the former site of Lincoln Park. /* Here you can add custom CSS for the current table */ /* Lean more about CSS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascading_Style_Sheets */ /* To prevent the use of styles to other tables use "#vwklhtmltables-table-5" as a base selector for example: #vwklhtmltables-table-5 { ... } #vwklhtmltables-table-5 tbody { ... } #vwklhtmltables-table-5 tbody tr { ... } */, ©2021 Lake Quinsigamond Watershed Association | P.O. Worcester’s Green Hill Park and Lake Quinsigamond have certainly come a long way since their “dark” days back in the 1960s and early ’70s. In 1952, the lake played host to the National Olympic rowing trials. The NEIRA championship regatta has been held on the lake since the 1950s and now features over 40 schools in 8+, 4+ and 1X divisions. Check the wind forecast for Lake Quinsigamond / Lake Park when you search for the best travel destinations for your kiteboarding, windsurfing or sailing vacations in United States. The retail complex still bears the White City name, though the movie theater, White City Cinemas, was shut down in recent years. It houses a state of the art baseball field (Tivnan Field). (Rte. The pavilion rental fee does not include vehicle entry fees. Part of the Cochituate State Park, Lake Cochituate is a lake that consists of three ponds that are linked together, The… Quinsigamond State Park consists of two sites. By the 1940s, both parks began to suffer declines in attendance due to development elsewhere along the lake's shores. However, its semi-metropolitan nature and highly populated shores present a continual challenge for pollution prevention. The Lake Park area is south of Route 9. The 25 acre Regatta Point area offers facilities for swimming, sailing, picnicking and fishing. The old clubhouse was transformed into a nightclub and restaurant called the Hi-Hat. Renovations completed in 1973 expanded the bridge to a four-lane roadway. Start and finish near the bathhouse. Lake Park is Worcester's third largest municipal park. Quinsigamond State Park Location: Located along the western shore of Lake Quinsigamond in the city of Worcester, Quinsigamond State Park includes the Regatta Point area, which is across North Lake Avenue from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, north of Route 9. The Dummy Railroad, so called because the engines were built to resemble horse carriages so as not to startle horses, was a huge success and transported thousands of city-dwellers to the lake’s shores. N. Lake Ave. Walkway Ultimately, Lake Quinsigamond’s “success” proved to be its greatest risk, as Worcester’s urban areas encroached on the lake and endangered its water quality and picturesque setting. The long, narrow waterway proved ideal for regattas, or boat races. “Remembering Lake Quinsigamond: From Steamboats to White City,” (published in 1998) by Michael P. Perna Jr. “Lake Quinsigamond – An Assessment of Past and Present Land Use,” by David Eugene Vincent. Lincoln Park, a family amusement park, opened on the Worcester (western) side of the lake in 1867; steamboat cruises began twenty years earlier, launched from the site of the Park. See location on Google Maps Distance: A flat 5K (3.1 miles, 16,405 feet) wheel-measured course. Quinsigamond State Park is a small but nice park on the western shore of Lake Quinsigamond with boating activities in the summer. Beginning in 1895, local high schools held crew races on the lake. The 25 acre Regatta Point area offers facilities for swimming, sailing, picnicking and fishing. Quinsigamond State Park consists of two sites located on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester: Regatta Point and Lake Park. Most of the lakeside development occurred around the southern shores, due to the construction of the causeway in 1863. Quinsigamond State Park is split into two different areas on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester: Regatta Point and Lake Park. At the turn of the 19th century, Isaiah Thomas, a Worcester resident, developed plans for a direct link between Worcester and Boston (plans that eventually became Route 9). The new Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge opened November 1, 2015 and carries Route 9 over Lake Quinsigamond. Lake Quinsigamond Hours Starting June 19th, 2021: Every day from 10-7pm for Sailing and Rentals Bonus weekends starting in May & June 2021 depending on Weather and COVID-19 conditions; look to Facebook , our website, or subscribe to our email list for updates By 1928, the club had disbanded and the land was bought and developed into the Tatassit Bathing Beach, which boasted the Monster Water Toboggan and the Aerial Chute. The line came to an end in the 1920s. There were high wire acts and high divers. Formed from a mixture of rock, gravel and dirt, the causeway was the first span to not sway under heavy loads. The second bridge was an early suspension bridge, and was completed in early 1817. It was proposed that the earthen causeway be removed and a suitable bridge be constructed that would beautify the lake and thus elevate its recreational character. Quinsigamond State Park is a small but nice park on the western shore of Lake Quinsigamond with boating activities in the summer. Two State Parks are available for public use on Lake Quinsigamond. Get directions, reviews and information for Quinsigamond State Park in This first attempt was unstable, often swaying under the weight of horse-drawn wagons. In September 2002, the Donahue Rowing Center expanded to 10 bays making it the largest rowing facility in the USA. Despite these problems, the span survived into the early 20th century, when it was replaced by the current bridge. A third bridge built in 1818 became too weak for heavy loads. Nice vantage point of the renovated Route 9 bridge which is illuminated at night. In the middle of the 19th century, crew racing became an important catalyst to the recreational development. The Lake Park area provides a number of recreational opportunities including a picnic area, swimming beach and tennis courts. The first span across the lake was a floating log bridge, built in 1806. The bridge was completed in 1919. Competitive rowing teams first came to Lake Quinsigamond in 1857. Construction of this road was under the authority of the Worcester Turnpike Corporation (until 1841; thereafter, the city of Worcester). a) Regrading/beach nourishment is needed to improve the aesthetic and functional value of the beach area, which has eroded considerably in recent years. It enjoys the status as being the largest metropolitan lake in the East. The piers and the bridge split apart and fell into the water on September 19, 1817. At the north end of the lake, a second bridge was built to support Interstate 290. In 1861, an earthen causeway was constructed. Lake Quinsigamond and White City Amusement Park lets readers experience the attractions, such as the shoot the chutes and White City roller coaster, and enjoy the fun atmosphere during those long-ago summers. A few businessmen recognized the lake’s potential as a premier resort area. Like the settlers 150 years earlier, Thomas and company faced the problem of Lake Quinsigamond. Located along the western shore of Lake Quinsigamond in the city of Worcester, Quinsigamond State Park includes the Regatta Point area, which is across North Lake Avenue from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, north of Route 9. He provided steamboat service on the lake and later developed what would come to be called Lincoln Park, which offered picnic areas, boat rides, concerts, fireworks and would eventually include amusements, a dance hall, theater and roller skating rink. There were even high-diving horses. The Regatta Point area offers facilities for swimming, sailing, picnicking and fishing. Quinsigamond State Park 10 North Lake Avenue Worcester, MA 01605 DIRECTIONS The Department of Conservation does charge for parking. Its unique recreational aspects continue to flourish. Click to enlarge images ~ check out the first 10 photos, the rest are coming soon! WORCESTER – Work has started at Quinsigamond State Park this week ahead of planned upgrades to the popular park along Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester. The Regatta Point area is across North Lake Avenue from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, north of Route 9. National publicity of this event accorded the lake status to bring about the enactment of legislation creating 2 state parks, Quinsigamond State Park and Regatta Point State Park. Both parks became famous for unique rides: Lincoln for the 'Dummy Railroad,' a passenger train running between Union Station in Worcester and the Park; White City, for its artificial lake, Shoot-the-Chutes ride, and other water attractions. Box 4243 | Shrewsbury, MA 01545, Remembering Lake Quinsigamond: From Steamboats to White City. Soon, several private boating clubs, canoe clubs, social clubs, parks and bathing beaches dotted the shores. The crossing is a two barrel steel arch bridge that consists of two separate structures supporting eastbound and westbound traffic. Lake Quinsigamond hosts 8 islands with the majority owned by private citizens. A second attempt in 1817 ended in disaster when the bridge collapsed into the lake. … Lake Quinsigamond (also Long Pond) is a body of water situated between the city of Worcester and the town of Shrewsbury in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The buyer of the White City property, Albert Shore, developed the land into a shopping center and movie theater complex shortly after the amusement park's closure. Quinsigamond State Park is situated 3000 feet south of , Regatta Point State Park, on the northwestern side of the lake, is the place to go for sailing, fishing, or swimming. Lake Park is located on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts. The trail, while winding through timeless nature and numerous historical spots in … Lincoln Park closed in 1961, and the White City property was sold in November of that same year. Editorial, Research and The area is used for sailing and rowing crew regattas. More boating clubs and races followed, and soon many colleges (both local and abroad) held regattas on the lake, such as the New England Rowing Championships, the ECAC National Invitational Championship, the Eastern Sprints, the Big East Championship and the Patriot League Championship. The lake's long and narrow shape posed a challenge to settlers of the Worcester area in the 17th century since it was deeded by Peter Jethro and other Native Americans in 1665. The area is used One such entrepreneur was J.J. Coburn. The collapse of the suspension bridge was quickly followed with a second floating bridge, this one lasting until 1861. The park is managed by the Commonwealth's Department of Conservation and Recreation. The first attempt, a floating bridge built in 1806, proved to be unsafe. Lake Quinsigamond is managed as both a cold and warm-water fishery. Location: Inside DCR’s Lake Quinsigamond State Park, Worcester. The area is used extensively for sailing and crew regattas. White City, once a park that featured '50,000 Electric Lights,' shut down on Labor Day, 1960. There was a carousel and a roller skating rink. The Quinsigamond Rowing Association hosted the US Rowing Masters National Championship in 2005,[2] 2012 and [3] 2016. National publicity of this event accorded the lake status to bring about the enactment of legislation creating 2 state parks, Quinsigamond State Park and Regatta Point State Park.