Used by permission. Since 1994, St. Croix County has been working on the purchase and development of a new day-use county park, Homestead Parklands on Perch Lake, in the Town of St. Joseph, to serve the growing population in the county. The County purchased the largest share of the park from the Thomas Seim family in 1996. In 1997, the County also purchased the property to the south of the Seim property, called the Onstott property, to create a total of 80 acres in the park.
Perch Lake is the central feature of the park.
The lake reaches 90 feet deep in some areas. The land area includes steep slopes covered by oak woodlands and pine plantations. Education and interpretive facilities may be provided at the Visitor Center, as well as in key locations throughout the park. The County has budgeted money to begin the improvements at the park in 2000. It is expected that it will take three to five years to finish the park.