Burr Pond State Park

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Burr Pond State Park is a state-operated, public recreation site covering adjacent to Paugnut State Forest in the town of Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut. The state park surrounds Burr Pond, an 85acre, man-made body of water with facilities for swimming, boating, and fishing.HistoryBurr Pond was created in 1851 when Milo Burr dammed several streams to create a source for power generation. The waterpower was used to operate a tannery and three sawmills. One of Burr's industrial buildings was used from 1857 to 1861 by Gail Borden as his first commercially successful condensed milk factory. The building burned down in 1877; the remains of its stone foundations can be seen off Burr Mountain Road. Signage identifies the spot.Burr Pond and the area around it were once part of Paugnut State Forest. The acreage was transferred to the State Parks Division and became a state park in 1949.Activities and amenitiesBurr Pond has several small inlets and islands, a rocky shore, and deep drop-offs in several places. Its maximum depth is only. Fish species present include largemouth bass, chain pickerel, black crappie, yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and brown bullhead.