GODDARD MEMORIAL STATE PARK
Goddard Park attracts thousands of visitors each year as Rhode Island's most popular Metropolitan Park. The park offers a beautiful natural environment with spacious lawns, fields, and forested areas with a variety of trees from all over the world, including 62 deciduous and 19 evergreen species. Visitors can make use of a nine hole golf course, an equestrian show area, 18 miles of bridle trails, 355 picnic tables, 11 game fields, and a new performing arts center for weddings, concerts, picnics and special events.
Goddard Park's 489.2 acres in Warwick has had a colorful history down through the years. As a private estate Goddard Park was richly endowed with spacious lawns, fields, and forested areas with a variety of trees from all over the world, including 62 deciduous and 19 evergreen species.
This wealthy inheritance of the State still largely remains in spite of the extensive damage caused by the 1938 hurricane. Located along two miles of Greenwich Cove, the park was formally opened to the public on June 1, 1930.
Today, Goddard Park attracts thousands of visitors each year as Rhode Island's most popular Metropolitan Park. Starting in 1979, the State has embarked on a major restoration of the park's existing facilities including: it's nine hole golf course, road systems, bathhouse and saltwater beach area, two restroom facilities, and maintenance facility. Work also included the renovation of the old carousel building into a new performing arts center, the construction of a new park entrance "fee" building, and also a new picnic shelter for large group outings.
This work with other renovations at the Rhode Island State Parks and Beaches assures the State's dedication to continue efforts to maintain and improve it's State Park System as one of the finest in the country.