Future Looks Bright for Frog Rock Park

The beauty of a historic roadside park has been a victim of neglect, trash, vandalism, and rejection by seven governmental agencies. This tragic story will have a happy ending thanks to Richard Lernould, who is working to restore and improve this quaint park. 

On an isolated stretch of Route 44 Westbound in Connecticut’s Quiet Corner lies the 2.2-acre Frog Rock Roadside Park in Eastford near the Pomfret town line.

It is surrounded by the scenic Natchaug State Forest.

The park consists of trails, fire pits, picnic tables, and an eight-foot-high stone that resembles a frog, which was originally painted by Thomas Jones Thurber in 1918. 

Thurber, a Republican state legislator in the 1880’s, passed by the park on his daily trip from Putnam to Hartford. 

Nancy Poole, one of Thurber’s descendants, said that the late senator is buried at Putnam Heights. He was a local artist and is mentioned in historical books in the Eastern Connecticut area. 

Frog Rock, also affectionally known by some as “Froggy”, is about 16 miles northeast of Willy, Manny, Windy, and Swifty, four 11-foot-high frogs that sit on top of oversized thread stools at the in Willimantic.  

While Frog Rock was a popular picnic spot in the 1940’s and 1950’s for those traveling to Cape Cod; State Representative Mike Alberts has said that the state has failed to maintain it and it has become a dumping ground for trash. 

In 1997, Thurber’s descendants cleaned up the park, repainted the rock, and added a little memorial on a nearby rock. 

Less travelers have been using the park and it has become a victim of repeated vandalism, Alberts told the Woodstock Cafe in 2010. Because of this, Frog Rock has been closed to vehicles through the installation of guardrails at the west and east entrances. 

The Department of Transportation put the park up for sale in late 2009 after five state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, rejected offers to purchase it.

The Town of Eastford also declined an offer. 

First Selectman Allan Platt believed that it would cost between $25,000 to $40,000 for the town to purchase, clean, and improve the property.

He also predicted an estimated annual cost of $5,000 to $10,000 for maintenance and security. 

This past May, Lernould purchased the property for $27,120 after previous bids were withdrawn including those by Charles R. Paquette for $88,950 and Ted Suave for $42,000. The DOT has valued the property at $22,000. 

Since then, “no trespassing” signs have been posted, the park has been cleaned, and some trees have been cleared.

It will be the home of a new visitor center and cafe when it reopens to the public next year. 

While the town and state missed an opportunity to preserve a historic landmark, Lernould is determined to make the park even more special.