Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-01-17
NEW NATIONAL PARK
REGION AROUND McGREGOR MAY
BE SELECTED FOR SITE-ONE
OF GREAT BEAUTY.


Prairie du Chen, (SpeciaD -To pro-
mote the establishment of national
park on the scenic and historical area
of the Mississippi about Prairie du
Chen and McGregor, Ia, Mrs. Martha
Buell. Num- a wealthy New York wo-
man, will donate the famous Pixies
Peak and Pictured Rock region on the
Iowa side if congfiress shall within two
years secure to the United State the I'll
tie Of 10000 acres contiguous or ada
cent bluff or island land and establish
on it national park This is the
word that the Mississippi Valley Ma
tional Park association has just re-
ceived.
The land specified is the heart of the
scenery Of the proposed park site and
the most beautiful single area on the
whole Mississippi The timber on it
is worth not less than $4,000. The
tract lies opposite Marquette State
park in Wisconsin.
Mrs. Mum is the wife of DR.. John
Mum Of New York, who for many
years has been physician to the Goulds,
Mrs. Russell Sage and others of New
York's wealthy families She inherit
ed the Pixies Peak and Pictured Rock
region from James Buell., the heir of
j: mes McGregor, who with his broth
err, Alexander, founded McGregor in
the forties. 1t has been her policy as
it was the policy Of Robert Glenn, for
MGR owner of the Marquette State
park area, to preserve the lands in all
their original natural beauty.
The 10000 acres stipulated by Mrs.
Mum is about to be included in re-
port to Washington to be submitted
by M. L. DOrr, inspector Of the depart
ment Of the interior, who is now in
McGregor Investigating the lands on
both the east and west sides of the
river. It embraces on the Iowa shore
the bluff lands contiguous to the Miss
issippi from McGregor south 10 miles
to Clayton. On the Wisconsin side it
includes Marquette State park of l.
$50 acres, the lowlands of the delta of
the Wisconsin and the islands and
lakes north of the Wisconsin river to a
point two miles above the pontoon
bridge between Prairie du Chen and
North McGregor. This gives a tract
of over 10000 acres Of bluffs, valleys,
islands, lowlands and lakes all in one
body unbroken by towns.
1t includes the scene of the discov-
cry of the Mississippi by Marquette
and Joliet, the famous Pictured
Rocks; Pixies Peak, first land of the
northwest seen by white men and the
most magnificent viewpoint on the
Mississippi; the site Of the first fur
trading post; Horseshoe lake, the most
beautiful small lake on the upper
mississippi; some of the largest beds
Of both the white and yellow water
lilies; and hundreds Of springs, water
falls and swift hill streams, among
them, Sny Magill, stocked with trout.
The delta of the Wisconsin and ad-
joining lowlands form an ideal loca-
ton for a refuge for aquatic birds
similar to the bird refuge recently
created on delta lands near New Or
leans. The region is part of the
famous glacial isle" and it's remark
able fossil beds for years have been a
field of research for biologists. The
great numbers Of Indian mounds dot
ting the hills have been pronounced
by eminent scientists the finest in ex-
istence and have had general recogni-
ton in archaeological circles.
With these scientific and historical
assets there is assurance that the prof
ect to make national park of the reg
ion is going to have active support of
conservationists and scientific organ
izatiOns all over the country to add
force to the appeal of the general pub
lie for the preservation of the scenery
and the creation of an accessible pub
lie playground
The movement to make park of the
area about McGregor and Prairie du
Chen had it's beginning several years
ago when Wisconsin bought from Rob-
ert Glenn the land between the Wis
consin river and Wyalusing for
state park. Iowa people Immediately
became interested in the establishment
of a park on the west bank of the river.
Eventually it was decided that in
stead of establishing another state
park, congress should be asked to
make a national park. Senator Ken
yon of Iowa, introduced a bill into
congress the last session, which re-
suited in the present investigation by
the department of the interior. The
plan at present is to have a national
park which will include the Marquette
State park. The offer of Mrs. Mum
makes it certain that congress will be
asked to favor this larger project. The
report on the matter will be forward
ed to Washington within few days
by the representative of the depart
ment of the interior. Strong indorse-
ments from many organizations and
prominent persons in Iowa, Wisconsin
and Illinois will accompany the re-
port.