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STATE PARK |
 |
| This 743 acre
park nestled on the ocean shoreline
was once an estate noted for its unusual botanical gardens, which
featured
flowering trees, shrubs and plants brought from faraway places, aboard
fast sailing ships.
The estate belonged to Louis J. Simpson and began as a summer home, a Christmas present for Mrs. Simpson in 1906. The home eventually grew into a three-story mansion, complete with an indoor heated swimming pool and large ballroom. The original mansion was destroyed by fire in 1921. A replacement structure, two stories high and 224 feet long, fell into disrepair over the years and was acquired, along with 600 acres of land, by the State in 1942. Although the home had deteriorated so badly that it had to be razed, the restored garden has garnered landscape design awards and is a favorite stopping point for area residents and visitors from afar |
