Milton State Park

About Milton State Park

Milton State Park is located in Milton, New Hampshire, about an hour's drive north of Boston. The northern half of the park has day facilities, and the southern half is a wooded state for hiking and nature exploration.

In 1762 Marcus Huling Jr. claimed a large island, later called Montgomery Island, and over the decades apple orchards were planted.

At the time, Pennsylvania and Connecticut claimed parts of the state as part of their respective states, but not the entire state of Pennsylvania.

The land eventually passed to the Straub brothers, who built a sawmill and barbecue on one part of the river in 1824 and a dam on another part. Eventually the mill became unprofitable and the islands were used only as farmland. The brothers were commissioned to build a bridge over a river between the three islands, but floods repeatedly washed out parts of the bridge that needed to be rebuilt.

Agriculture ceased at the beginning of the 20th century and the islands were divided among many owners. There are now two islands, one of which has been connected to the larger island, making it even larger. Some of these islands have become sports grounds, and some have been rededicated as golf courses.

In 1972, Hurricane Agnes flooded the islands completely, and the Milton Rotary Club worked to consolidate its actions, transferring the title of Milton District to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1966.

Federal aid helped rebuild the facilities, and the last piece of land was handed over to the state park control. The jetty is located on the east side of the islands, but the height of the river varies according to the season and is generally not deep enough for large ships. PA 624 was relocated to allow new boats to be launched, and federal grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources helped rebuild the facility.

All motor boats must be registered in the state, and all non-motorized boats must have one of the following boat registrations in each state: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources.

The Susquehanna River has warm and cold water for fishing, and perch, panfish and catfish, as well as a variety of other species, are common.

Access to the park is from PA-642 or US-15 and it takes one to two hours to drive from the park's main entrance on the east side of Route 642. Dispose of your charcoal in the appropriate facility or dispose of it in the creek bed or in a creek or river bed with suitable disposal methods.