Willand Pond

The cities of Dover and Somersworth share shoreline around Willand Pond, a 66-acre body of fresh water, in the northeast section of Dover/south west section of Somersworth. Around the turn of the last century, Willand Pond was the site of a popular recreation area with dance halls and early electric lights accessible by trolley car. Today it is a quiet tree-lined pond squeezed between two highly traveled state routes. The pond is stocked with trout and is surrounded by a trail that follows the northern shoreline jointly developed by both Dover and Somersworth and open to small boats without motors. 

The pond, in the Piscataqua watershed, was called Humphrey’s Pond in the late 18th century. In the early 20th century Willand Pond housed a Central Park at the end of what is now called Central Avenue. Previously it was called Burgett Park. None of the amenities of the grand park exist today, as they faded with the demise of the trolley cars that made Willand Pond quickly accessible to anyone in neighboring Dover and Somersworth. 

Engineering Analysis

Draft Alternatives Analysis Report - Willand Pond April 21, 2009 
Watershed - Meeting Poster April 21, 2009
Watershed - Meeting Poster 2 April 21, 2009

Engineered Plans

Draft Commercial Drive Expansion 
Commercial Drive Bid Specifications 
Commerical Drive Bid Plans

Home Depot 
Home Depot Retention Pond Asbuilt 
Indian Brook Commons 
Target 
High Street Retail 

New Rochester Rd/Long Hill Rd Improvements 

Department of Environmental Service Correspondences 

DES Action Plan 

DES Memo July 14, 2007 

DES 319 Grant Pre-Application 

DES 319 Grant Final Application 

DES 319 Grant Award Letter 

Paul Currier's Presentation 

Willand Pond Over Time 

Other Resources

Friends of Willand Pond meeting notes November 18, 2008 
1872 Engineer Survey 
July 2008 Press Release

1970's Willand Pond Information 
1976 Master Plan 
Aerial Photo 1 
Basemap 
Area Drainage Map 
Parcel Map of Area 
Properties with Flooding in 2007 
Health Advisory Notice 
Overlay Booklet 1
Summary of Issues
Overlay Booklet 2 
1999 Survey of Area North of the Pond 
UNH Presentation Part 1

UNH Presentation Part 2

UNH Presentation Part 3