CREA is the story of a group of Cornish residents who started with a small idea which then grew into a Town resource of many uses. In 1971 the Town was in need of a fire pond with close access to the fire station. Anne Davidson generously deeded 1.2 acres of land to the Town for $1. With the help of the Sullivan County Soil Conservation Service, a fire pond with an Island for wildlife, was dredged next to the fire station. Located right across from the school the pond soon became a nature study area for students.

Soon talk started of expanding the area to ten acres to include an extensive recreation and education area. Then the idea of purchasing the entire 76 acres of field, forest, streams and wetlands was born. In 1982 the Cornish Conservation Commission proposed using money from the Cornish Fair Association, Conservation Commission funds and a State grant to purchase the property. Unfortunately the Town was unable to get the State grants but the enthusiasm for the project did not wane.

At the 1983 Town meeting Myron Quimby moved and Jim Lukash seconded a motion to appropriate the sum of $31,000 for the purchase of the 76 acre Anne Davidson property abutting Town House Rd and Parsonage Rd. Rickey Poor spoke in favor of the motion and further explained who would benefit from the purchase and where the different monies would come from. She explained that the Conservation Commission would contribute $10,000; Anne Davidson agreed to donate $10,000 and that the Conservation commission would apply for a Grant from the NH Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) which, if approved, would eliminate the Town from having to pay $31,000. A private citizen also pledged $10,000 for the purchase if the grant was not approved. Ellen Ballard, Bunny Barker, Paul Queneau and Ruth Rollins also spoke in favor of the motion that was then passed by a vote of 156 yea’s, to 4 no’s.

The importance of the acquisition of the CREA land was underscored by the comments made by Bunny Barker comparing the CREA land with Central Park in New York. “The concept of preserving land for recreational and educational use is as sound here as it was in a growing New York”. The grant from the State was approved so the land was purchased without the $31,000 expenditure voted at the 1983 Town meeting. Also in 1983 a $10,000 anonymous donation was made for the development of sports facilities and pledges of $10,000 of donations were made for the purchase and/or conservation education.

Check out the CREA Management Plan