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Getting to Know Walking Iron Park (Dave Gjestson has a great fondness for Walking Iron Park. He and his wife Laura live down the road, and regularly volunteer to clean up the park. Recently he completed a history of the park, part of which is presented here. Further installments will appear in future issues of "ACTION".) Geology And History of Walking Iron Park Before you walk too far, take in your surroundings for a few minutes and ponder their origins. The bluffs to the north, east and south are composed of rock outcroppings which date from Cambrian times, 560,000,000 years ago! The high ground to the east prevented advancing glacial ice from leveling the rugged hills of southwestern Wisconsin. However, as the ice melted, its soil-packed waters poured into the valley surrounding you. That event had permanent and interesting impacts on the area you're about to visit! As various stages of glacier melting took place, the huge Glacial Lake Wisconsin, lying to the north, spewed meltwater and debris into this valley. Geologists believe that about 19,000 years ago, when waters in the valley were receding to the eventual river channel, a large beach shoreline was formed. It extends from the hills directly east of the park into Iowa County to the west. That shoreline now forms the upland edge of the park near its north boundary. You can get a better feel for this phenomenon by following the trail north to the marsh overlook. When you reach the edge of the terrace overlooking the creek bottoms below, you are on the shoreline of that ancient water area. About 12,000 years ago, the last glacier had receded north to the vicinity of present day Lake Superior. Paleo Indians arrived in this vicinity by following the edge of the ice from the west. They hunted woolly mammoths, mastodons, bison and caribou and left behind rock art (pictographs and petroglyphs) to mark their passing. During prehistoric time from 600 to 1300 AD, a unique Indian tribe we call the Mound Builders constructed earthen structures of various shapes, often in the shape of animals, to reflect their spiritual traditions. These structure are referred to as effigy mounds. The area now called Wisconsin became the center for this culture and contains over 90% of the effigy mounds found in the world! A structure thought by some to be a mound in the shape of a snake is located alongside the creek halfway across the property's northern border. European settlement in this area began in earnest after the end of the 1832 Black Hawk Indian War. After statehood in 1848, and through the later 1800's, farming opportunities attracted a few brave souls to the valley. The first known farm on park lands was established in 1846 by the Wigglesorth, North and Holms families. Later, Gaylord Knight owned most of the land that was to become the park. Dane County purchased about 240 acres in 1973. Eighty more acres were purchased in 1991 from John Wick and John Trigger. Walking Iron Park was named after a Wapeton Dakota Sioux named Mazomani or "Iron Walker" who lived in this area in the 1800's. |
Volunteer Ken Siemers, who works assiduously at Lake Farm Park to eradicate buckthorn, recently logged onto the Internet to discover how others are dealing with the thorny pest. The best reply: "We've had good success with concrete. Four inch slab seems to keep it from coming back in the immediate area. While cheaper, asphalt does not work as well. Any other ideas welcome!" Nice to know we're not alone in our struggles, and that modern technology allows us access to such useful information! Kidding aside, a web page is being developed for the Adult Conservation Team, and we hope to have it posted in the near future. |
ACTION is the quarterly newsletter of Dane County
Parks' Adult Conservation Team (ACT). ACT is a volunteer organization working to enhance
the Dane County Park System.
Dane County Park Commission Barry Ashenfelter Dane County Parks Dept.
Director ACT Manager Volunteer ACTION Editor Dane County Park Commission 608/246-3896 E-mail: goldstein@co.dane.wi.us |
| Dane County
Parks At Donald Park Located in the hilly driftless area of southwest Dane County Tuesday, May 12, 5:30-8:30 Adults and mature youth only Call Louise Goldstein at 246-5366 to sign up |
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