Wisconsin State Parks through the Years

A decade by decade look at the State Park System

By Diane G. Schwartz, Bureau of Parks and Recreation, March 1998; revised by Deborah Proctor, October 1999, and Bonnie Gruber, September 2008

1800s: Planting the Seeds

1878-1897: "The State Park"

State Legislature approves "The State Park," a 760-square mile state park in northern Wisconsin (most of Vilas County.) The proposal was ill-fated from the start. The state owned just 10 percent (50,631 acres) of the total acreage within the boundary, there was no population in northern Wisconsin to support the project, and the primary power brokers in Northern Wisconsin were lumber barons. The state sold two-thirds of its land to lumber interests for $8/ acre in 1897. (George Rogers, The Might-have-been State Park, Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine, December 1995)

1895

Ad hoc Park Commission appointed. State legislature approves act authorizing the governor of Wisconsin to appoint commissioners to examine certain lands in Polk County (the Dalles of the St. Croix River), Wisconsin, to become a state park. (Chapter 315, Laws of 1895, April 19)

1899

Money Approved for Interstate. State legislature approves act to provide money to acquire land for an "interstate park." (Chapter 102, Laws of 1899, March 30)

1900s: First Park and a Vision

1900

Interstate Park established. Land acquisition begins September 20, 1900

Commission appointed by Governor Robert LaFollette to examine Devil’s Lake (1903) and the Dells of the Wisconsin (1905) as potential state parks.

Commission recommends purchase of Devil’s Lake region. Legislature further investigates the Dells Region. During this time, and for several more decades, creation of each new state park requires separate legislative action.

1907

First State Park Board appointed. T.E. Brittingham, E.E. Browne, W.H. McFetridge hire noted Landscape Architect John Nolen to draft a feasibility plan for a Wisconsin State Parks System. (Chapter 495, Laws of 1907)

Brule River State Forest established.

National Conservation Commission formed. President Theodore Roosevelt calls a meeting of all state governors and appoints a National conservation Commission. Wisconsin Governor James Davidson carries the conservation message home and appoints a seven-person State Conservation Commission and calls for support from various state departments and the University of Wisconsin.

John Nolen Report published. John Nolen’s State Park’s for Wisconsin published by The State Park Board. Report provides guidelines for a state park system in Wisconsin and recommends creation of four state parks, at Devil’s Lake, Dells of the Wisconsin River, Door County’s Fish Creek (became Peninsula State Park) and Grant County’s confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers (became Wyalusing State Park). (Of these all but the Dells of the Wisconsin River became state parks. The Dells Natural Area opened to the public in 1997, completing Nolen’s plan.)

1910s: a Park System is Born

1910

Peninsula State Park established

1911

Devil’s Lake State Park established

Fishing, boating and sightseeing were popular activities at Devil's Lake even before it became a state park.

1915

State Conservation Commission formed. (Chapter 406, Laws of 1915). The State Park Board, the State Board of Forestry, the Fisheries Commission, and the state Game Warden Department are combined to form a new agency under a paid, three-member State Conservation Commission. The commissioners are James Nevin, (fisheries), W.E. Barber (fish and game) and forestry and parks) F.B. Moody, (a respected forester). Parks become closely linked with forestry--an association that remains for many decades.

1917

Wyalusing State Park established. Land had been acquired years before this date. The park was originally called Nelson Dewey.

1918

Perrot State Park established

1920s: First Parks Superintendent Named

1920

Pattison State Park established

1922

Tower Hill State Park established

1923

First Parks Superintendent named. C.L. Harrington named first superintendent of Forests and Parks Division

1924

First Capitol State Park established. The park is now owned and operated by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest established

1927

Rib Mountain State Park established

Potawatomi and Terry Andrae state parks established. Terry Andrae is now part of Kohler-Andrae.

1929

Copper Falls State Park established.

1930s: The CCC Legacy

1931

Flambeau River State Forest established

1932

Merrick, Ojibwa, and Rocky Arbor state parks established. Ojibwa is now locally owned.

1934

New Glarus Woods State Park established

1934-1941: Civillian Conservation Corps

Camps in Copper Falls, Devil’s Lake, Interstate, Nelson Dewey (present-day Wyalusing), Pattison, Peninsula, Perrot, and Rib Mountain state parks. CCC makes tremendous contributions to state park infrastructure and supplies the first real planning in Wisconsin state parks.

1935-1941: Works Progress Administration

Crews work in Copper Falls, Wyalusing, Nelson Dewey, Peninsula, and at the Kettle Moraine State Forest.

1935

Nelson Dewey State Park established

1.25 million park visitors

1936

Northern and Southern units of Kettle Moraine State Forest and Mill Bluff and Brunet Island state parks established

1938

Point Beach and Council Grounds state forests established. Council Grounds is now a state park.

1939

A Park, Parkway and Recreational Plan produced. This document is similar to Nolen’s document of 1909 in that it specifies future park and recreation lands throughout the state and why they should be preserved. A beautiful full-color map is produced for this project.

1940s: War and and Postwar Effects

Vehicle camping was already popular in 1940, when these women camped at Potawatomi State Park.

1941-1945:

World War II. Park development stops and use drops.

1945

Camping and recreation rise dramatically. After World War II, development of state parks once again takes off.

1947

Aztalan and Lost Dauphin state parks and Parfrey's Glen Natural Area established. Lost Dauphin is now closed. Parfrey's Glen is now part of Devil's Lake State Park.

1948

Governor Dodge, Roche-A-Cri, and Wildcat Mountain state parks established

1949

Big Foot Beach State Park established.

1950s: Recreation Booms

1950

First Public/Private Partnership. Devil’s Lake Concession Corporation, a nonprofit, non-stock corporation, takes over concessions at the park. The corporation agrees to pay 5 percent of its gross income for improvements to the park. (From 1950 through 1995, this sum exceeded $1.2 million. This was the first such organization to partner with state parks to provide services that the parks could not otherwise provide. Other groups followed, creating a foundation for a formalized Friends Group policy in 1989 and the creation of the statewide Friends of Wsconsin State parks in 1996. (Today, there are more than 60 local friends groups with more than 1,000 volunteers working on behalf of state parks.)

1950

Lizard Mound and Lucius Woods state parks established. These parks are now operated by Washington and Douglas counties, respectively.

3.3 million state park visitors

1953

Old Wade House [exit DNR] established. This historic site is now operated by the State Historical Society.

1954

High Cliff State Park established

1957

Black River State Forest established

5 million state park visitors

Roman Koenings succeeds C.L. Harrington as superintendent of forests and parks

1959

Blue Mound and Copper Culture state parks established

1960s: ORAP, Development, and First State Trail

1960:

Pike Lake State Park established. Pike Lake is now a unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest.

1961

Outdoor Resources Action Program (ORAP) established. Wisconsin Legislature enacts a long-range program of acquisition and improvement of state recreational facilities. ORAP prompts a wave of new park purchases, maintenance projects, and the era of rails-to-trails developments. The program is funded by a one-cent tax per pack of cigarettes.

Amnicon Falls and Belmont Mound established as state parks. Amnicon Falls was formerly a Douglas County park.

1962

State Park Naturalist and conservation education program established

Vehicle admission sticker established. Fees become a source of funding for park operations

Hartman Creek, Lake Kegonsa, Mirror Lake, and Lake Wissota state parks established

1963

Big Bay State Park and Richard Bong State Recreation Area established

1964

Newport State Park established

1965

Rock Island State Park established.

State Parks and Recreation Division created. For the first time since 1915, the parks program is separated from forestry.

Don Mackie succeds Roman Koenings as superintendent of the new State Parks and Recreation Division.

Elroy-Sparty State Trail established. The first such trail in the nation is established on an abandoned railroad bed; begins "Rails to Trails" program.

1966

Harrington Beach and John M. Kohler state parks and Tuscobia State Trail established. John M. Kohler park is now part of Kohler-Andrae.

First nature centers opened and permanent naturalist hired. The centers are at Devil’s Lake and Peninsula state parks and the naturalist at Devil’s Lake.

1967

Department of Natural Resources created. It combines the departments of Conservation and Resource Development.

Willow River and Whitefish Dunes state parks established.

1968

Lake Pepin State Park established. This park has been changed to a state wildlife area..

Al Ehly succeeds Don Mackie as the director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation

1969

Two Creeks State Park established. This park has not been opened.

ORAP 200 - Outdoor Resources Action Program renewed. Signed into law by Gov. Knowles, ORAP 200 is a bonding program to finance water pollution abatement and recreation programs for 10 years.

1970s: Trails and the Ice Age National Reserve

1970

Yellowstone Lake State Park, Governor Knowles State Forest, Browntown-Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area, and Ahnapee State Trail established. Door and Kewaunee counties now operate the Ahnapee Trail.

American Heritage Ensemble, a private theater company at Peninsula State Park, formed.

1971

Buckhorn State Park established

Ice Age National Scientific Reserve established. First of its kind in the nation, the reserve includes nine units: Devil’s Lake, Interstate, Mill Bluff, Cross Plains, Chippewa Moraine, Two Creeks, Campbellsport Drumlins, Horicon Marsh, and Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.

Milt Reinke succeeds Al Ehly as the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation

1972

Natural Bridge and Kinnickinnic state parks, Campbellsport Drumlins, and Sugar River State Trail established. Campellsport Drumlins is a unit of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve.

1973

Heritage Hill State Park and Bearskin and Red Cedar state trails established. The Bearskin was later combined with Lincoln County’s Hiawatha Trail to become the Bearskin-Hiawatha State Trail.

1974: Sheyboygan Marsh, Cross Plains and Chippewa Moraine Ice Age units and Pecatonica State Trail established Sheboygan Marsh has been turned over to Sheboygan County. The Pecatonica Trail, initially DNR-operated, now is operated by a multi-county commission.

Campsite reservation program begins.

Annual sticker costs $2, daily $ .50

1975

Governor Nelson State Park established.

Don Mackie appointed Director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation.

1976

Buffalo River State Trail established

1977

Lower St. Croix State Riverway established

1978

LaCrosse River State Trail, Havenwoods State Forest, and Grand Traverse Island State Park established. Grand Traverse Island State Park has not been opened.

1980

Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area established.

US Congress designates Ice Age Trail [exit DNR] as a National Scenic Trail

1981

Military Ridge State Trail established

Dave Weizenicker succeeds Don Mackie as Director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation.

1983

First Wisconsin Conservation Corps (WCC) program initiated on the Military Ridge Trail just west of Madison.

1984

Glacial Drumlin State Trail established.

1985

Wisconsin Explorer established. The program provides children with activity workbooks they can do in state parks with their parents.

Lapham Peak Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest established

1986

Wild Goose and Great River state trails established

1987

Loew Lake Unit of Kettle Moraine State forest established.

1988

Ice Age National Trail established as a state trail.

The "400" and Hillsboro state trails established. The Hillsboro Trail is managed by Juneau and Vernon Counties and the City of Hillsboro.

1989

Gandy Dancer State Trail established (cooperatively managed)

Legislature establishes Stewardship program. Includes $6.7 million for DNR land acquisition, $3.5 million for recreational development, $1 million for trails, and $500,000 for the Ice Age Trail.

Local Friends Group policy enacted. Provides standards for group development and consistency statewide.

1990s: Automation and Record Attendance

1990

Chippewa River and Old Abe state trails established.

1991

Fischer Creek State Recreation Area and Fox River and Saunders state trails established. Fischer Creek is operated by Manitowoc County, the Fox River Trail by Brown County, and the Saunders Trail by Douglas County.

First cabin for people with disabilities opens at Mirror Lake State Park.

1992

Wiouwash and Green Circle state trails established. The Wiouwash Trail is operated by Winnebago, Outagamie, Waupaca, and Shawano counties, for which it is named. The Green Circle Trail was established under a law that allows state designation and funding for trails operated by nonprofit organizations.

1993

Mountain Bay and Wild Rivers state trails established. Mountain Bay Trail is operated by Brown, Shawano, and Marathon counties and Wild Rivers Trail by Barron, Washburn, and Douglas counties.

1994

Urban State Trail established. This trail will join Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls.

1995

13.25 million State Park visitors - a record number

1996

Friends of Wisconsin State Parks [exit DNR] organized.

Department of Natural Resources reorganized.

Parks teams up with Department of Tourism to improve marketing of state parks.

Hank Aaron, Mascoutin Valley and Tomorrow River state trails established. Hank Aaron Trail is under development. Mascoutin Valley Trail is operated by Fond du Lac, Winnebago, and Green Lake counties and Tomorrow River Trail by Portage County.

1997

Sue Black succeeds Dave Weizenicker as the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation

Wisconsin Dells Natural Area acquired by the Department of Natural Resources. This completes John Nolen’s vision to preserve "best of Wisconsin’s scenic wonders" for public access.

1998

Milwaukee Lakeshore State Park established.

1999

Cattail, Nicolet, and White River state trails established. Polk and Barron Counties already had opened the Cattail Ttrail and continue to operate it.

Parks Automated Reservation System initiated. Allows customers to dial a toll-free central phone number and make reservations at any state park in the system.

2000s: The Second Century Begins

2000

Governor Tommy Thompson proclaims 2000 the "Year of Wisconsin State Parks."

Capital Springs and Governor Tommy G. Thompson state parks and Badger and Friendship state trails established.

North Country National Scenic Trail designated a state trail.

2001

Capital City State Trail established.

2002

Wisconsin observes the "Year of the Trail"

Straight Lake State Park established.

2003

Natural Resources Board approves the purchase of seven new rail segments totaling 112.6 miles as trails. The acquisition adds three new trails to the system: West Bend to Eden, New London to Seymour, and Crandon to White Lake, and expand the Ahnapee, Fox River, Tomorrow River,and Wiouwash state trails.

Michael Willman becomes acting director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation.

Wisconsin is a finalist for the national State Parks Gold Medal Award. The award is based on outstanding achievements and contributions in providing park, recreation and leisure services to the people of the state.

Amery to Dresser State Trail established.

2004

Bill Morrissey becomes director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation. He retired in 2006.

2007

Dave Borsecnik becomes director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation and resigns the same year. Bill Smith becomes acting director.

2008

Dan Schuller becomes director of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation.

See a summary of the first 100 years set to music.

For more information, ask Wisconsin State Parks, (608) 266-2181.