This park took its name from Cranberry Lake, a lake located in the park.
Native cranberries grow in various parts of the bog habitat near the lake.
The lake or pond was given this name by early settlers. The earliest mention of Cranberry Pond is in a 1705 deed. Prior to 1912 this area was unpopulated and consisted of a lake and large wetland surrounded by a deciduous forest. A rock crushing plant, built in 1912, was located on the ridge east of the Southern Seasonal Swamp. The plant was used to make aggregate for the cement used in the construction of the Kensico dam.