Upton State Forest, State forest in Worcester County, US

Upton State Forest covers nearly 2,800 acres in Upton, with smaller sections in Hopkinton and Westborough. It holds Massachusetts' last remaining Civilian Conservation Corps camp, built in Rustic style, with surviving barracks, a recreation hall, and a parade ground off Westboro Road. Dean Pond, a 10-acre impoundment, was created by a CCC-built earthen dam.

The land was developed during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a work program that left behind buildings and infrastructure. These structures were later recognized as historically important to the region and officially documented.

The forest lies near the Old Connecticut Path and the Blackstone River, routes long used by Nipmuc people. Cellar holes and stone walls mark colonial settlement from as early as the 17th century, matching records for Mendon, Grafton and Westborough. Off the Middle Road trail, round stone cuts left by Alexander Pilkington's quarry still lie on the ground.

Visitors can access the property via Westboro Road and park free of charge; gates are open from sunrise to sunset. Wear appropriate clothing for a wooded setting and allow enough time to explore the various paths at a comfortable pace.

A map from 1851 marks a sawmill at the southern end of Dean Pond; it was washed out in an 1882 flood, and CCC workers uncovered its remains in 1938. Off the Middle Road trail, discarded round stone cuts mark Pilkington's Quarry, where Alexander Pilkington worked stone.