Friends of CamRock Park
The Friends of CamRock Park is a young group with lots of enthusiasm, and are committed to our beautiful
CamRock Park areas!
The Friends formed in response to the removal of the Rockdale Dam in 2000, which left open mudflats and
changed the course of the Koshkonong Creek (still changing). The Friends are restoring habitat, both in the
newly exposed areas and in parkland.
The Dane County chapter of WORBA (Wisconsin Off-Road Bicycle Association), known as CORPS (Capital Off-Road
Pathfinders), has a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Dane County Parks Department to construct and
maintain mountain bike trails at CamRock Park (and also at Badger Prairie County Park), based on the park’s
master plan and approval process. Some members of WORBA-CORP are also active members of the Friends of CamRock
Park and many of the habitat restoration projects done by the Friends are also done by WORBA-CORP members as
part of their trail work.
The Friends of CamRock look forward to helping Dane County Parks with their task of maintaining and improving
natural areas, and safeguarding our environment for future generations.
Friends of Donald Park
For more information see the Friends of Donald Park website.
Friends of Lake View Hill Park
For information, please visit the
Friends of Lake View Hill Park Facebook page.
Friends of McCarthy Park
The Friends of McCarthy Park website will be available soon.
Friends of Halfway Prairie Schoolhouse
Halfway Prairie Schoolhouse is the oldest rural elementary school in Dane County.
It was in operation from 1855 until 1962. Its name comes from its location halfway between
Mineral Point and Portage, on a popular route for early miners, who used to camp nearby.
Today the site, a property of Dane County Parks, consists of the schoolhouse, a picnic
area with a gazebo, a small playground, a hand water pump, a storage garage and bathroom
facilities.
The Friends of Halfway Prairie Schoolhouse is a volunteer group founded in 1967
by Mrs. Violette Cairns, a former student and mother of former students, and Mrs. James
Woodburn, of the Dane County Historical Society. Their purpose was to restore and preserve
the setting and atmosphere of the oldest rural one-room schoolhouse in the county, and to
maintain it as a museum open to the public. Since 1967, the Friends have restored and
maintained the museum. They have sought out and purchased artifacts needed to complete the
restoration. The one-room schoolhouse is set up with desks, books and other artifacts of
school life from the 1930’s. The Friends group keeps the schoolhouse open on Sunday
afternoons, between Memorial Day and Labor Day. They also conduct tours for school groups,
by appointment. Members of the Friends group open the building, care for the artifacts,
and serve as guides for the visiting public. The Friends group also holds an annual
meeting and an annual picnic at the park. It is solely because of the efforts of this
group that the historical nature of the has been preserved.
Halfway Prairie Schoolhouse is at the intersection of Hwy. 19 and Hwy. F.
For more information, or to schedule a field trip, please contact Cleo Brockman at 608-767-2211 or
Darlene Grover at 608-271-2265.
Friends of Pheasant Branch
For information, please visit the Friends of
Pheasant Branch website.
Friends of Indian Lake Park
For more information, please visit the
Friends of Indian Lake Park website.