Far
away from the thousand hills of Wisconsin the waters
of Green Bay are gathered. They come purling out of
the gushing springs and gather together into little
rills and ramble seaward. Into mighty rivers they
join, like the swift Menominee, the somber Peshtigo
and the famous Fox River. From cataract to cataract
they leap, until at last they spread themselves on
the bosom of the Emerald Sea.
Away
up at this head and beginning of the Bay, the waters
spread out sluggishly, with shallow, weed-grown bottoms,
where the wild fowl stop to chatter on their flight
to the tropics. Here the banks are low and the waters
turgid, as if seeking rest. Perhaps they are weary
of the busy hum of the cities that dot the Fox River
valley, and fatigued with turning the innumerable
wheels of industry that line the banks.
Gently
the waves roll seaward, caressing the timbered
shores, tempering the chill western winds and
graciously giving to the peninsula that lies
on its eastern border a climate and seasons
of wonderful efficacy for growing luscious fruits.
But the air of the Green Bay Basin is invigorating, laden with life-stirring ozone from its evergeen forests. Soon, too, the sea feels new life pulsating within its deep. From the East to the West and on to the North, it rushes, seeking a nearby opening to join its big brother Michigan.
Off to the east the green-topped hills fall apart, making a big opening for Sturgeon Bay. Into this bay the sea leaps and bounds exultantly, believing that it has found a channel to Lake Michigan. For eight miles the waves roll merrilly inward, fed by this delusion, only to be stranded at last on the sands of the narrow isthmus, almost within sight of the Big Sea beyond.
Enraged by this obstacle the sea now hastens out of the narrow confines of Sturgeon Bay and turns northward. It rushes past the palisaded cliffs of Door County and hurls itself furiously against the many crags and islands that oppose it.
Banish from thy mind all unclean thoughts and sordid passions, the idle pursuit of riches, the vain dictates of fashion and the frivolous gayety of the weak-minded. Fulfill thy destiny as we have ours and thou wilt be a blessing to others, as we have been to thee!"
You,
reader. who hare sat in the shade of Eagle Cliff,
towering behind you "like a great rock in a weary land," with
the sea before you like a silver field, your
ears entertained by the murmur of the rockborn
spring, your eyes delighted with curving shores
and emerald islands. while far up in the sublime
heights an eagle is majestically poised-you
have felt that nowhere is more perfect scenery.
Other scenes mav excel in this point or that,
but nowhere is there a more harmonious combination
of land and sea and distant view.
Is
a
Sicilian
sunset more fair than that which meets the view of Sunset
Cliff! Are the waters of the Bay of Naples as limpid
as those that lave these shores! Is the Mediterranean
sky tinged with a fairer blue than that which vaults
Peninsula Park?
Peninsula Park! Your graces are three: They are Purity, Harmony and Dignity.
The
movement to create a state park in Door County had
its beginning in 1907. In that year certain residents
of Madison and the City of Baraboo endeavored to secure
the adoption of a bill in the Legislature to turn
the lands surrounding Devils Lake into a state park.
The bill did not make much headway in the Legislature.
In order to interest the Legislature in the project
the members were invited
to visit Devils Lake and personally examine its fitness
for a park .
On
a certain day the entire Legislature visited
the proposed park lands and were there entertained
with speeches and refreshments. Among those present
were Hon. Thos. Reynolds, member of the Legislature
from Door County, and Isaac Stephenson, who had
just been elected to the national Senate to
succeed Hon. John C. Spooner who had resigned
the office. These two occupied the same seat
on the trip back to Madison.
Being
from Door County Mr. Reynolds was not vastly
impressed with the beauty of Devils Lake. Turning
to Senator Stephenson, he said: "Up in Door
County we have at least three sites which are far
more picturesque and desirble for state parks than
Devils Lake. These people of Madison want everything.
They have the capital, the State University, the Agricurtural
Experiment Station, now they want also want a state
park.
Why
can we not locate such a park in Door County!" The
subject was further discussed and finally Mr. Reynolds
asked Senator Stephenson if he would aid the project
financially if a park was established in Door County.
This the senator agreed to do.
A
day or two afterward Mr. Reynolds presented a bill
in the Legislature for an appropriation of $78,000
to purchase lands for a state park in Door County.
The members of the Legislature were at first inclined
to laugh at the idea of locating a state park in such
an out-of-the-way place as Door County.
But
when Mr. Reynolds on the floor stated that he
was authorized to promise a liberal donation
from a man of wealth, they became seriously
interested. A committee inteviewed Senator Stephenson
to learn how much he would give, but were referred
by him to Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds being given
the liberty of naming the amount and said Senator
Stephenson would give $25,000.
In due course of time Mr. Reynolds' bill became a law and the park board was authorized to expend $76,000 in the purchase of lands for the park. In the meantime several large delegations of prominent citizens had visited Door County in company with the park board for the purpose of selecting the most desirable sites.
The
three sites that Mr. Reynolds had in mind
were, first, the Clark's Lake region; second,
the Kangaroo Lake vicinity, and third, the
tract at present included in the park. While
Mr. Reynolds for obvious reasons favored
the tract adjacent to Clarks Lake all the
visitors including the park board and Mr.
John Nolen, a prominent landscape architect
and authority on state parks from Boston
whose services had been retained for expert
advice, were unanimious that the tract of
land lying between the villages of Fish
Creek and Ephraim and the bar shore was
the best suited for a state park of any
in the state.
It is needless to emphasize that no park would hare been established in Door County without Senator Stephenson's donation to dignify the project. The senator made this donation freely and without any strings tied to it. He was prompted to do so by the fact that Door County in all his political battles had been his best support. The suggestion that his name be fixed to the park was not made by him.
This
suggestion came from Mr. Thomas Brittingham, chairman
of the park board. He came to the house of Mr. Reynolds
and asked him to send a telegram to Mr. Stephenson
promising that the park would be named Stephenson
State Park provided the senator would give $50,000. Mr.
Reynolds curtly refused to have anything to do with
the project from that point forward gave it none of
his attention.
