Brickyard Pond & Veterans Memorial Park

Brickyard Pond & Veterans Memorial Park

Barrington, Rhode Island 02806

Official Website
Veterans Memorial Park map

About this Location

Established in 1946 as a public recreation and conservation area by the Town of Barrington, the park was named to honor veterans. The parkland stretches over 230 acres including the 84-acre pond named Brickyard because this was the site of the local brick-making industry started in 1720 by Matthew Watson and continued until 1943. The excavated clay beds eventually filled with water from underground springs forming the beautiful pond. Connected to Narragansett Bay by a canal, the area is an important herring spawning ground.

Recent improvements at the park are the work of a partnership between the Town of Barrington including the Conservation Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Barrington Land Conservation Trust, the Bayside YMCA, the Barrington Preservation Society, and the Boy Scouts; with assistance from the National Park Service River and Trails Program. We are still working to improve the trail system. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Town Planner at 401-247-1900. If you would like to be notified of upcoming guided walks and projects, you may also contact the Barrington Land Conservation Trust at info@blct.org.

In springtime, you will hear spring peepers. During the spring herring run, ospreys and sometimes bald eagles can be seen fishing from the pond. In summer, dragonflies are common and the air is filled with the fragrance of native summersweet (clethra). Near dawn or dusk, you may hear or see screech owls and great-horned owls. Each season and time of day offers something to see.

Notable Trails

The ‘Green Trail’ walk is an easy figure-8 trail slightly more than 1 mile in length – allow 20 to 30 minutes. The path may be wet in some sections after heavy rain or spring thaw, but hiking shoes are not needed; sneakers are fine. This interesting trail includes footbridges across several slow-moving streams. This is a great walk for young families on foot, but trails would not be easily passable by stroller. This shady wooded trail passes freshwater wetlands, red maple swamp, and vernal pools. More information and photos are presented at each trailhead kiosk. It is amazing that you can be completely surrounded by woods in such a central and convenient location.

Content from Official Website