Happy 100th Birthday
hey came to see the ball field, ride the miniature trains and take pictures of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox replicas.
“We just thought it would be fun to try and see as much of the park as we could, given that it was the 100th year celebration,” Gina, 34, said Sunday as they got off a train ride. “There’s a lot of stuff in this park, but we just wish it would have been a little warmer out.” Most people were bundled up with cold-weather gear as they toured and visited the ball fields, Paul Bunyan Logging Camp and Chippewa Valley Museum, and rode miniature trains established by the Chippewa Valley Railroad Association. The train rides brought back memories for Larry Ganske of Eau Claire and his family, including 1-year-old grandson Bo, who took part in the train rides. “We took the kids on the train rides when we came to town about 20 years ago,” Larry said Sunday. “It brings back a lot of memories for us to be in the park and ride the train. We have a lot of memories involving this park, which is truly a gem.” The celebration marked 100 years since heirs of millionaire lumberman William Carson donated land that became Carson Park. The 1914 deed stipulated “all land shall be used exclusively for a public park,” and that the park’s name never change. Sunday’s three-hour celebration drew plenty of praise, but also a bit of displeasure. “We drove about an hour to come see the park and thought for sure they weren’t going to charge anything for getting into the museum or riding the trains, especially since it was a centennial celebration,” said Don Stigman of Barron. “We’d heard such good things and wanted to see it, but not for all that it would have cost us.” For Mike and Angela Crothers of Eau Claire, the park, with all its amenities, is their favorite place to go for fun. “You just don’t find places like this, where you have playgrounds, picnic areas, places to fish, run and watch athletic events,” she said. “We’ve only been in town a year or so and we come here all the time and try and take in as much as we can because it is so scenic and relaxing. I hope Eau Claire realizes what it has with this park.” |