Ricker Pond State Park in Groton lies on the eastern side of Groton State Forest and provides access to a 95-acre pond through camping, beach, boating, and trail facilities. The site’s history reaches back to 1783, when Edmund Morse built a sawmill and gristmill at the pond’s outlet, later operated by the Ricker family until 1963. Tourism grew after the railroad arrived in the valley, and the state began acquiring land in 1919 before opening the park in 1933. Its distinctive character was largely created in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, whose roads, ranger quarters, pavilion, beach, and stone fireplaces led to its recognition as a historic district and National Register listing in 2002.