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Bear Brook State Park

{{Short description|State park in Merrimack County, New Hampshire}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox park

| name = Bear Brook State Park

| photo = Bear Brook State Park - Beaver Pond.JPG

| photo_width = 280

| photo_alt =

| photo_caption = Beaver Pond as seen from the Beaver Pond Trail near the campground

| type =

| location = Allenstown and Hooksett in Merrimack County;
Deerfield and Candia in Rockingham County,
New Hampshire

| coords = {{coord|43.107|-71.352|format=dms|type:landmark_scale:10000_region:US|display=inline,title}}

| coords_ref =

| area = {{convert|10083|acre}}

| elevation = {{convert|617|ft}}{{cite gnis|865439|Bear Brook State Park}}

| established = 1943

| designation = New Hampshire state park

| administrator = New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation

| status =

| website = [https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/bear-brook-state-park Bear Brook State Park]

}}

Bear Brook State Park is a {{convert|10000|acre|adj=on}} preserve in Allenstown, New Hampshire, and neighboring towns. It is one of New Hampshire's largest state parks.

Description

File:Spruce Pond.jpg

The park takes its name from Bear Brook, a stream which runs through the park. Its environment is that of the Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion.

Amenities at Bear Brook include camp sites, a picnic area, over {{convert|40|mi}} of hiking trails, swimming and fishing ponds, archery range, camp store, a ball field, playground, bathhouse, shelters, picnic tables, canoe and rowboat rentals, and a physical fitness course. The park is home to the New Hampshire Snowmobile Museum, Old Allenstown Meeting House, and the Richard Diehl Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Museum, which are in historic buildings built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.{{cite web| title=Hard times legacy: New Deal projects employed thousands back then, and remain as historical, and sometimes sentimental, landmarks| url=http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/articles/2009/05/17/hard_times_legacy/| publisher=Boston.com| access-date=11 January 2015| date=May 17, 2009}}

In 1985 and 2000, the remains of a total of four female bodies, one adult and three children, were found in the park. In January 2017, a suspect in the case was identified as Terry Peder Rasmussen (also known by several aliases){{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/08/18/authorities-identify-mysterious-serial-killer-linked-allenstown-murders/6Nma4Dasrj7Quz6aBFsdbO/story.html|title=N.H. Authorities identify mysterious serial killer - the Boston Globe|website=The Boston Globe}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.doj.nh.gov/news/2017/20170126-allenstown-suspect-identified.htm|title=Allenstown Suspect Identified | News Releases | NH Department of Justice}} who had died in prison in 2010.{{cite news |last1=Connor |first1=Tracy |title=Drifter Bob Evans Eyed as Serial Killer, Tied to N.H. Murders |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/drifter-bob-evans-tied-denise-beaudin-case-bodies-barrels-n712506 |access-date=26 January 2017 |work=NBC News |publisher=NBC |date=January 26, 2017}} In June 2019, three of the bodies were identified.{{cite news |last1=Hershberger |first1=Andy |title=Woman, 2 children found in barrels in state park identified, officials say |url=https://www.wmur.com/article/allenstown-barrels-bear-brook-murders-update/27784045 |access-date=6 June 2019 |work=WMUR |date=6 June 2019 |language=en}}

{{main|Bear Brook murders}}

See also

{{portal|New Hampshire}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web |url=https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/bear-brook-state-park |title=Bear Brook State Park |publisher=New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation |access-date=September 6, 2020}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.nh.gov/nhdfl/documents/statemap-sept-2007.pdf |title=State Lands |publisher=New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development |date=July 2007 |access-date=September 6, 2020}}

{{cite journal |author1=Olson, D.M. |author2=Dinerstein, E. |title=Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth |journal=BioScience |year=2001 |volume=51 |issue=11 |pages=933–938 |doi = 10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2 |display-authors=etal|doi-access=free }}

{{cite web |url=https://www.nhstateparks.org/getmedia/911e45b9-6002-4d72-b805-ca444ce53059/NH-State-Parks_Historic-Context-Study_1945-1975.pdf#page=20 |title=New Hampshire State Parks: Mid-Century Modern (1945-1975): Historic Context Study |author=Lisa Mausolf, Preservation Consultant |publisher=New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation |page=20 |date=March 2019 |access-date=September 6, 2020}}

}}

External links

{{Commons category|Bear Brook State Park}}

  • [https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/bear-brook-state-park Bear Brook State Park] New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
  • [http://www.nhsnowmobilemuseum.com/ New Hampshire Snowmobile Museum]

{{Protected areas of New Hampshire}}

{{Merrimack River}}

{{authority control}}

Category:State parks of New Hampshire

Category:Parks in Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Category:Museums in Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Category:Nature centers in New Hampshire

Category:Civilian Conservation Corps in New Hampshire

Category:Civilian Conservation Corps museums

Category:Transportation museums in New Hampshire

Category:Buildings and structures in Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Category:Allenstown, New Hampshire