Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-03-19
URGES OPTION
ON PARK SITES
Iowa Conservation Association Favors
Immediate Action by State
SELECT NOW, BUY WHEN
MONEY Is AVAILABLE
Better Roads and Radical Amend
ments to Laws Relating to Pol
luton of Lakes and Streams
Advocated

Ames, Ia.-Conservation of places
of natural beauty or historic interest,
establishment of series of state
parks and the extension of Towa's
DAD system were the subjects upper
most in the minds of those attending
the Iowa Conservation Association
at Ames, March and 8. Over a
hundred leading men and women of
the state, representing the state col
leges, state conservation board, state
highway commission, county farm
bureaus, womens clubs, and COM
mercial clubs gathered to discuss the
program of establishing state parks
in Iowa.
Resolutions were drawn up and en-
dorsed by the convention, advising
the leasing and securing of options
upon local tracts of land which can
not be purchased at the present time
on account of lack of funds, advo-
eating increased publicity to acQuaint
the taxpayers of the state with the
purposes and plans of the state park
movement, supporting the proposed
national park at McGregor and the
| preservation OF historical data Of the
state, and favoring radical amend
ments in laws relating TO the pollu
ton of lakes and streams.
The board was in session during
the convention and heard the re-
ports of committees, representing
every section of Iowa. Their discus
sion covered every phase of the sub,
ject and brought to light many un-
usual and interesting facts concern
ing the topography of Iowa Already
one or more desirable park sites
lave been located in every county
and national park area near Nc
Gregor in Clayton county. The region
known as "The Devils Back bone" in
DeleS ire county has recently been
purci sed. Other places especially
desirs !, which were noted in talks
CT pah RS were the Buckingham lake,
Palisades of the Cedar river, Pilot
Mound at Forest City, the bluffs and
ice cave at Decorah, Mississippi
river hills north Of Clinton, Wild
Cat Den at Iowa Falls, and Sargent's
Bluffs in Woodbury. county.
The idea emphasized by the major
III 1,a
pie of Iowa are not awake to the
scenic beauty of this state nor to its
many features of historic interest.
As Mr.. E. r. Harlan of Des Moines,
curator Of the state historical society
and member of the state conserva-
tion board expressed it. I'VE have no
state consciousness nor state pride. "
He went to explain that people of
other states are apt to think of Iowa
in terms of bushels of corn and
pounds of hogs because Iowans do
not make their state stand for any
thing else.
Two beneficial results to be deriv-
ed especially from series OF county
parks, were noted by several speak
ers: namely; the development of
community spirit by linking together
city and country, and the general in
crease in vitality of the whole popu-
Ilation by more outdoor recreation.
The need for better highways lead
ling to these parks and the value or
the scenic drive in this connection
were also noted. In the words of F.
NJ. Gully, professor Of landscape
architecture, Iowa State College,
The aim of scenic drive is to con-
meet and link together features or
local interest to the general park
scheme"