Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-01-13
STATE TAKES OPTION
OH THE GLENN PLACE
Proposed State Park at Mouth of
Wisconsin River.
200 Acres With a Frontage of Seven
Miles on the Mississippi and Wis
consin Rivers.

Elk Sheriff Robert Glenn, OF
Wyalusing, WAS in the city last
week and made The Herald
pleasant visit, during which he
showed fine collection of photo
graphs made from scenes on his
27OO acre reservation in the north
western portion of this county, at
the confluence of the WisC Onsin and
Mississippi rivers, which the State
is now considering the purchase of
for a state park. and of which the
Times, at North McGregor, Iowa.
two or three miles from the farm
recently said:
1--WE learn from Mr.. Glenn that
the state of Wisconsin has recently
taken an option on his reservation at
the mouth of the Wisconsin, River.
and that the state Park Board, with
T. E. Birmingham of Madison as
chairman, is confidently expecting
that the Legislature will make a
suitable appropriation for it's purchase
this session. If this should happen,
within a couple of miles of our city
there will be preserved the only park
of any magnitude ON the Mississippi
River. The tract comprises twenty
seven hundred acres extending for
some distance east of the Mississippi
between the Wisconsin River and
Wyalusing. The adjacent islands are
included in the tract making,a water
frontage of seven miles on the two
rivers.
Robert Glenn, Sr. settled on the
lower part of this land early in the
fortIes. The son, the present owner
inherited his portion and as.gradual-
" added to it until he now owns the
present Ialge area. His purpose in
accommodating the land he explains as
follows; The preserving of this
land in its natural state, with the
hope that some day it would be con-
verified into a permanent park, has
been life WORK with me. In travel
ing up and down the Mississippi, |
have noted that not one place is be-
ing preserved in its pristine beauty.
Everywhere the brand of COM
mercialIsm is stamped on the
majestic hills. Familiar as | am
with the many advantages that my
place possesses, have, as far as [
have been able, preserved it in its
natural state. hoping that in time the
public would appreciate it and take
and preserve it. in order that in years
to come, one place, at least, on this
magnificent river could be viewed as
it was when first seen by civilization 9
vanguard.
Besides possessing much natural
beauty. the place is replete with his
toric interest to commend its pr ssrva-
tion as a public park. 1t is we'll
known 10 all that it was the scene OF
the discovery of the Upper Mississippi
by Marquette and Joliet in 1878. But
there is other history connected with
the site that is not Sd we'll known.
According to archaeologists, there are
more undepleted efigy and burial
mounds on the tract than can be
lCuuu III any SAhSAO 1OSoAAbJ ~ CHO
country. Marlin. the fur trader, also
established the first trading post on
the Upper River there. A we'll worn
Indian trail ascends one of the hills,
made by the warlike Foxes in the
early days when the place was a
favorite camping ground of theirs.
Furthermore, the old military road
which was built across Wisconsin,
and over which thousand of pioneers
travelled to northern Iowa and
Minnesota, terminates on the land.
A part of it is still clearly defined.
There are Pictured Rocks on the
site of similar character to our we'll
known ones. In these Pictured Rocks
exists a grOtto one hundred feet In
width. Over its sides pouIs limpid
stream of water, forming beautiful
waterfall, while in front of it stands
pillar of petri6ed moss forty feet in
height, which is one of the most Ie-
markable formations of its kind in
the world =