Approximately 60 acres
Recreational Use:
A variety of activities are possible in Bruce Park, including walking and jogging on a marked and measured trail, bicycling, and picnicking. The Greenwich Lawn Bowling Association maintains a bowling green and organizes games. Three tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a baseball diamond, and playgrounds are also available. Permits are required for the use of the baseball diamond. Please contact the Recreation Division at 622-7830 for fees and availability.
A series of lovely ponds and wooded areas provide for passive activities. Picnic areas are provided with tables and grills. Permits are required for groups over 25 for the Woods Road picnic area. Please contact the Parks and Trees Division at 622-7824 for fees and availability.
It came into being in 1908 when wealthy textile merchant Robert M. Bruce transferred by Deed of Conveyance to the Town almost 100 acres including his house which he designated for a "Natural History, Historical and Art Museum". A provision in the Deed allowed for part of his gift to be used "for the purpose of a public highway". This came to fruition with the advent of I-95 in 1958, and moneys derived from the sale were used to add a small addition to the Museum and to purchase land for the Bruce Golf Course.
Geologic features of most of the Bruce Park area are outcroppings of a formation known as the Harrison Gneiss (pronounced "nice") which also underlies most of Greenwich and Cos Cob Harbors. Dating from approximately 450 million years ago, these rocks have a layered and folded appearance, caused by a series of geologic upheavals over millions of years which produced tremendous levels of heat and pressure within the earth thereby allowing the various minerals to align into layers.
The park is at its best in the spring with lovely beds of daffodils, magnificent plantings of azaleas and dogwoods (the stretch along Steamboat Road below the Museum is noted for its alternating pink and white dogwoods) which all bloom at the same time. As the spring blossoms fade, the rose garden begins to bloom and provides a colorful display for the balance of the spring and summer. One can easily retreat to the adjacent gazebo (courtesy of the Hortulus Garden Club) to soak in the beauty of this well-manicured garden.
After the flowers are gone, one may enjoy taking a tree guide in hand to explore the wonderful variety of species throughout the Park. Sweetgum, various maples, oaks and evergreens are common, with a few ginkos and sequoias.
Most notable of the fauna throughout the park, and especially in the vicinity of the Museum, are the black squirrels, a variant of the common gray squirrel. In addition, the park provides a variety of environments for both resident and migratory species.
There are a number of interesting sculptures on the Museum grounds and throughout the park. The Museum features a 35-foot TsimshJan Totem Pole carved by David Boxley and commissioned by Dr. and Mrs. Raymond Sackler to commemorate The Bruce Museum's 75th Anniversary. A cassette tape relating the legend of the pole is available through the Museum's receptionist.
Also on Museum grounds are a bronze work entitled "Obelisk Head" by Elizabeth Strong-Cuevas and an aluminum work entitled "Searching for Peace" by Luis Arata.
There are also two works permanently placed in the park. The first, "Girl Standing in Nature" by George Segal is at the north end of Woods Road in the center of the park. It was a gift of the Greenwich Arts Council and part of their Sculpture '76 celebration, in honor of the 350th Anniversary of the Town. The Greenwich Arts Council commissioned Deborah Butterfield to create "Orson and Valentine", the pair of bronze horses that now grace the meadow near the lawn bowling court.
Finally, it should be noted that The Bruce Museum sponsors two major outdoor festivals annually. The Outdoor Arts Festival is held in October on Columbus Day weekend and the Outdoor Crafts Festival is held each May. Each festival features 75 juried artists from around the country as well as entertainment, demonstrations and food. Each of the festivals attract 10,000 visitors, weather permitting.
Directions:
I-95 Southbound Exit 4, turn left onto Indian Field Road. Turn right onto Bruce Park Drive, follow to park. I-95 Northbound Exit 3, turn right onto Arch Street, follow to Museum Drive, turn left onto Davis Avenue, follow to park.
Use of Tennis Courts
Tennis Passes are required for all "in season" play on Town of Greenwich Tennis Courts. Annual Tennis season runs from May 15th through December 1st.
Court Reservations
Courts are only available to Tennis Pass holders. Instructions for reserving court times are included when Tennis Pass is issued.
