Salisbury Beach State Reservation | |
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Location | Essex County, Massachusetts, United States |
Coordinates | 42°49′35.4″N 70°49′2.8″W / 42.826500°N 70.817444°W |
Area | 355 acres (144 ha) [1] |
Elevation | 10 ft (3.0 m) [2] |
Established | 1931 [3] |
Operator | Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Website | Salisbury Beach State Reservation |
Salisbury Beach State Reservation is a state-owned, public recreation area on the Atlantic Ocean in the town of Salisbury, Massachusetts, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. [4] It is one of the most heavily utilized state parks in the Commonwealth, with "an annual attendance rate of over one million visitors." [5]
During the American Civil War the Fort at Salisbury Point was built on the site, which was eventually lost due to beach erosion. [6] The land was acquired for use as a state park in 1931. [3] It saw improvements in the following decade done by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. [7] During World War II the site included a gun battery as the Salisbury Beach Military Reservation. [8] The reservation came under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in 1969. [5] Continuing park improvements include the construction of a new jetty in 2015. [4] In March 2024, coastal flooding eroded 7,500 tons of sand placed on the beach at a cost of $600,000 as part of a beachfront restoration effort by local property owners. [9]
Notable wildlife includes harbor seals, which are often found on Badgers Rocks in the Merrimack River in the fall and winter. Birds that can be sighted include black ducks, green-winged teal, and great blue herons, along with pectoral, solitary, and least sandpipers. [5] "White-winged and surf scoters can be seen flying low over open water or bobbing in loose flocks among the offshore waves." [10]
Salisbury Beach State Reservation | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Location | Essex County, Massachusetts, United States |
Coordinates | 42°49′35.4″N 70°49′2.8″W / 42.826500°N 70.817444°W |
Area | 355 acres (144 ha) [1] |
Elevation | 10 ft (3.0 m) [2] |
Established | 1931 [3] |
Operator | Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Website | Salisbury Beach State Reservation |
Salisbury Beach State Reservation is a state-owned, public recreation area on the Atlantic Ocean in the town of Salisbury, Massachusetts, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. [4] It is one of the most heavily utilized state parks in the Commonwealth, with "an annual attendance rate of over one million visitors." [5]
During the American Civil War the Fort at Salisbury Point was built on the site, which was eventually lost due to beach erosion. [6] The land was acquired for use as a state park in 1931. [3] It saw improvements in the following decade done by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. [7] During World War II the site included a gun battery as the Salisbury Beach Military Reservation. [8] The reservation came under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in 1969. [5] Continuing park improvements include the construction of a new jetty in 2015. [4] In March 2024, coastal flooding eroded 7,500 tons of sand placed on the beach at a cost of $600,000 as part of a beachfront restoration effort by local property owners. [9]
Notable wildlife includes harbor seals, which are often found on Badgers Rocks in the Merrimack River in the fall and winter. Birds that can be sighted include black ducks, green-winged teal, and great blue herons, along with pectoral, solitary, and least sandpipers. [5] "White-winged and surf scoters can be seen flying low over open water or bobbing in loose flocks among the offshore waves." [10]