Rockwell Park in Bristol, CT

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Striped header image reading “Rockwell Park Bristol, CT”

On the same day as my visit to the New England Carousel Museum, I took a walk around Rockwell Park in Bristol, Connecticut. This small city park is a great outing for the people of Bristol and the surrounding area.

A grassy park with a stone building on the left and a pond with a small fountain on the right

Who Is Rockwell?

Rockwell Park is named for Bristol resident Albert Fenimore Rockwell, describe on a memorial in the park as an “inventor, manufacturer, [and] public-spirited citizen”. Rockwell donated eighty acres of land for the park in 1914, and his wife donated additional land for the playground in 1917. A memorial was erected upon Rockwell's death in 1926. The park has been listed in the National Registrar of Historic Places since 1987 and has the ambiance of an Olmstead landscape. However, the park was instead designed by an obscure Providence, RI architect named Sheffield Arnold. It stands out as a recreation facility from the 20th century, a time where most parks were quiet leisure areas for driving carriages.

A metal tablet set in stone reading in part “ALBERT F ROCKWELL 1862 - 1925 INVENTOR, MANUFACTURER, PUBLIC-SPIRITED CITIZEN. HE GAVE TO THE CITY THIS PARK AND CONTRIBUTED LIBERALLY TO ITS DEVELOPMENT”

Another major donor was John Christopher Mack, born in Bristol in 1852, who willed a “substantial sum” designated for parks and playgrounds in Bristol despite living in California. The only information I could find on him was written on the plaque. Perhaps he enjoyed a mysterious reputation.

A metal memorial set in stone reading in part “THIS TABLET IS TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF JOHN CHRISTOPHER MACK A PUBLIC SPIRITED CITIZEN WHO TRULY LOVED BRISTOL THE PLACE OF HIS BIRTH”

Current Amenities

Rockwell Park has a well-maintained nature area and excellent facilities, including an amphitheater hosting a summer concert series, a pool with lifeguards and waterplay area, a playground, an accessible exercise walk with outdoor gym equipment, trails for hiking and mountain biking, a disc golf course, a dog park, a basketball court, and a pair of volleyball courts. A highlight of the visit was seeing the many turtles in the pond.

A black, metal railing with three concentric rectangles in the center, surrounding a small circle A wooden boardwalk cutting through a wetland, with one path branching off to the right A turtle sits on a log partially submerged in a pond filled with lilypads A turtle sits on a lily pad in a pond filled with lily pads A metal, curved sign reading “Rockwell Park” supported by stone pillars. The sign stands over a pave path among green trees and against a clear blue sky. A sign reading “Please Be Respectful of the Wildlife No Littering” A shady stone building stands beside a calm pond under a slightly cloudy sky A brown sign with white type reading “B.A.R.K. Park Cross Country Trail Disc Golf Little League Field” A brightly lit stone building stands beside a calm pond filled with lily pads under a slightly cloudy sky A small wooden and metal bridge over a stream A long, wooden boardwalk with three-food-high railings extends into a wetland, with greenery on either side of the railing.

The Hiker

Near the entrance to the parking lot for Rockwell Park stands an unusual monument. This Spanish American War memorial consists of two plaques, a statue, and a large rock. It honors American veterans who fought in Cuba, the Philippines, and the misspelled “Porto” Rico from 1898 to 1902. The statue on top of the rock, called “The Hiker”, is based on a 1907 design by American sculpture Allen George Newman. Copies of this statue are found throughout the United States, including a more recent copy in Memorial Boulevard Park in Bristol; the first installation of the statue as a memorial found in North Burial Ground in Providence, RI; Grove Street Park in Pawtucket, RI; and Court Square in Woonsocket, RI.

A close-up of a metal statue of a Spanish-American era soldier from the United States. He wears a slouchy hat and carries a rifle. A full image of the Spanish-American War monument, including the previously described statue on top of a stone base with two plaques of explanation

Conclusion

Rockwell Park is a well-maintained natural area and outdoor recreation space with plenty of history surprises and activities for the whole family. The park is free to the public and open seven days a week from dawn to dusk. If you are in the Bristol area visiting other attractions, I recommend stopping by for a picnic and relaxing walk.


Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 7/10

Accessibility: 7/10


Location: Rockwell Park, 238 Jacobs St, Bristol, CT 06010, USA