“Crowd Attends Park Dedication” from the August 15, 1930 Door County Advocate
CROWD ATTENDS PARK DEDICATION
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Kohler and Schneider on Program
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SPEAKERS LAUD PARK PROGRAM
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Governor Says Move is Significant to Wisconsin as a Whole
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Before a crowd estimated at 2,000 persons, Governor Walter J. Kohler praised the establishment of La Salle County park last Sunday at the dedication of that historic, six-acre tract in the Town of Clay Banks on the Lake Michigan shore to the famous French explorer who landed there 250 years ago last October. The total attendance at the park during the day is believed to have exceeded 7,000.
“The dedication of the Robert LaSalle County park is not only an event of importance to the people of Door county, but has a significance for all Wisconsin, and as governor of the state, I am gratified to have the opportunity of participating,” Governor Kohler declared at the opening of his address.
The governor arrived in his big Ryan monoplane on schedule time—about 1:15 o’clock, landing in a field across from the park. He came directly from his home at Kohler. After completing his talk, he spent a few minutes meeting his Door county friends and then left in his plane to deliver another short address at Westfield. From Westfield, he was to fly to Pittsfield for a third speaking engagement before his trip back to Kohler at dusk.
Congressman Speaks
The Door County Historical society, which sponsored the park and the dedication program, not only was honored by the appearance of the governor but also was favored by the appearance of Congressman George J. Schneider of Appleton who spoke briefly commending the county for its enterprise ln establishing the park.
Congressman Schneider pointed out during his talk the creation of various reserves on the peninsula and cited in particular the new Potawatomi park which he was instrumental in having transferred to Wisconsin from the federal government so that it could be developed as a state park. He also mentioned several high points in the life of LaSalle.
“I am always glad to come’’ to Door county,” declared Congressman Schneider. “I recognize it as one of the most picturesque ln the state.”
Holand Traces History
H. R. Holand, president of the Door County Historical society, presided at the program and in his introductory remarks told of LaSalle’s exploration trip along Door county shores on his way to the Mississippi valley. On the platform besides Mr. Holand, the governor and the congressman were Moulton B. Goff, assembly man of Door county; Supervisor Ralph Jenquin, chairman of the county board, from Gardner; George Fellows, of Clay Banks; Supervisor B. D. Thorp, of Ephraim; County Agent B. F. Rusy, Frank Krueger of the Town of Sturgeon Bay, Dr. H. F. Eames of Egg Harbor, and E. M. La Plant.
Music during the day’s outing and interspersing the program was furnished by the Carnot band under the direction of Chester Teske.
“How About Taxes”
“How about taxes?”, a question put by a bystander in regard to the establishment of parks brought an impromptu talk from Mr. Holand at the close of the program.
“The complete cost of LaSalle park as it stands with gateway and monument, tables and chairs for picnickers and other improvements cost no more than the price of a malted milk for each family in Door county,” cited Mr. Holand. “In fact when the county is speckled with a number of parks similar to this, the whole program will cost each family no more than a dollar. I urge every one of you to get solidly back of our county park program.”
One other county park, Tornado Memorial park in Gardner, has already been established, and the county park commission has in mind the establishment of other sites on the northern half of the peninsula. One at Rowleys Bay has already been considered, the site of what is believed to have been the oldest Christian shrine in the Mid-West, and the other is at Horseshoe Bay.
Governor Kohler in his address laid stress on the public importance of establishing parks.
“The Door County Historical society, the county park board, the board of supervisors, the Town of Clay Banks, and your citizens generally are to be commended for this fine enterprise,” he declared.
“It is a matter of great public importance that parks for the permanent use of all the people be wisely chosen and suitably developed by the various units of government, so that historic places may be preserved and sufficient of the scenic beauties, natural wonders, and recreational opportunities may be freely open to all.
“Certain areas’ having a universal interest have been developed by the federal government as national parks.
“Our state has sixteen parks with a total area of 150,000 acres, two of them in this county, and the conservation commission is giving study to the formation of a comprehensive long-time plan for a state park system. In conferences which I have had with them there has also been worked out a policy whereby the lands which will be acquired for forestry purposes will also be utilized, under suitable regulations and safeguards, for recreational purposes.
“It is appropriate that the counties should also exercise foresight in establishing smaller parks for the enjoyment of the local people, and it is creditable that Door County is putting itself among the leaders in this kind of civic enterprise.
Choice Beauty Spot
“The tract which we are dedicating today is one of the choice beauty spots of the entire Lake Michigan shoreline, pleasantly wooded, interesting in topography, and commanding a magnificent view.
“The improvements which have been made are admirable and have been intelligently effected without a burdensome expense. With so great an interest on the part of officials and citizens of the county, you have the best assurance that the future development and maintenance will be well planned and managed. It will be one of the permanent assets of your citizens, a source of justifiable pride and wholesome enjoyment to this generation and to your children’s children through the long succession of the years.
“But this park has a significance beyond the outdoor pleasures it affords, for it is a permanent memorial to one of the great figures in the history of this region, a man whose story has an enticing flavor of romance but whose deeds were nevertheless fraught with practical results of a most far-reaching character.
You are situated in what may be termed the cradle of Wisconsin’s history, and indeed of the history of much of the Middle West. In 1634, only a few years after the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, the explorer Nicolet passed in the vicinity, to be followed by Father Marquette, his companion, Joliet, and a procession of explorers, traders, and missionaries constituting the advance guard of civilization.
“Among the greatest of them was the man for whom this park is named and to whom you have erected a simple, dignified monument shaped by the hands of Nature.
“In 1679 this shore was visited by Cavalier Robert de la Salle, governor of Fort Frontenac and the Great Lakes of New France, a statesman, warrior and explorer of intrepid courage and keen vision.
“In this vicinity he encountered dangers from storms, from scarcity of supplies, and from the Indians. We are told that he camped near here, possibly on this very spot, and then pushed on to the adventures and discoveries which made his name immortal. This region was the gateway to his achievements and is a fitting place for their commemoration.
Urges Historical Study
“I hope that one result of the establishment of this memorial will be to encourage the boys and girls of this vicinity, and their elders as well, to read in the pages of Parkman and other writers the enthralling history of those early days, and in so doing, not only to enjoy a romance more absorbing than fiction but to profit by the practical lessons suggested as to the possibilities of this country and particularly the value of our waterways.
“So alluring were the resources of this great central region that a titanic struggle for other control was precipitated between England and France.
“La Salle’s nation eventually lost, and in the line of succession we have become the fortunate possessors of this rich territory, which is our home. But it is fitting that we recognize what we owe to the French pioneers, as you are doing in dedicating this park to the memory of one of the greatest.”
Collect Burial Fund
It was with an expression of regret that Mr. Holand announced at the close of the program that the Potawatomi Indians from Blackwell, Wisconsin, had planned to be present at the dedication but could not come due to the serious illness of their Chief, Simon Kahquados. The Indians, who are descendants, in the sixth generation, of those who gave food to LaSalle when he landed in a storm at the site of the new park, were here a few years ago for the dedication of a totem pole in their honor at the Peninsula State park. At that time, the aged chief, whose native home was Door county, expressed his wish that at his death the Door County Historical society would bury him at the base of the monument erected to his tribe at the park.
The promise was given that this would be done, but now as the chief lies on his deathbed, the historical society, in view of its extensive work in improving La Salle park, finds itself in need of more funds to enable it to provide a suitable burial. To augment the fund for this purpose, Mr. Holand called for silver donations from the crowd present, and hats were passed. A considerable sum was collected, considering the disadvantages of reaching personally a crowd that was largely standing and moving around, but more money will have to be raised when the occasion for the burial arrives.
Following the historical society program, Prof. George M. “Soy Bean” Briggs of the University of Wisconsin addressed the short course graduates of the university who were gathered at the park for their annual outing. Prof. Briggs urged increased enrollment of farm boys in the short course next winter. County Agents B. F. Rusy of Door county and L. J. Henry of Kewaunee county each gave brief talks.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
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