Glendalough State Park

Last updated

Glendalough State Park
GlendaloughStatePark.jpg
The former resort of Cowles Media Company is now a public park.
USA Minnesota relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Glendalough State Park in Minnesota
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Glendalough State Park (the United States)
Location Otter Tail, Minnesota, United States
Coordinates 46°20′0″N95°40′0″W / 46.33333°N 95.66667°W / 46.33333; -95.66667 Coordinates: 46°20′0″N95°40′0″W / 46.33333°N 95.66667°W / 46.33333; -95.66667
Area1,931 acres (7.81 km2)
Elevation1,329 ft (405 m) [1]
Established1992
Named for Glendalough
Governing bodyMinnesota Department of Natural Resources
Glendalough State Park

Glendalough State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, in Otter Tail County near Battle Lake close to Minnesota State Highway 78. It is named after Glendalough in Ireland. The park was once used as a resort and game farm by the owners of Cowles Media Company, owner of what is today the Star Tribune newspaper. The park contains 1,931 acres (7.81 km2) on land and 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) on the water. Cowles Media Company transferred title to Glendalough to the Nature Conservancy in 1990, and the Nature Conservancy transferred title to the State of Minnesota in 1992. Glendalough was officially declared a state park with a celebration on Earth Day, April 22, 1992.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

In 1903, Ezra G. Valentine developed that land into a summer retreat called Valentine's Camp. In 1905 the park was left to Valentine's children, John Alden and Miss Blanche, who later sold the land to Fred A. Everts. Everts sold the Valentine camp to F.E. Murphy who owned and operated the Minneapolis Tribune. Murphy renamed the land Glendalough, after a monastery in Ireland. With the depression in the 1930s and land becoming available for purchase, Murphy expanded the camp and started a game farm. In 1941, Glendalough, along with the Minneapolis Tribune, was purchased by Cowles Media Company, which was partially owned by John Cowles, Sr. [2] Glendalough Game Farm hosted important individuals such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, President Richard Nixon and Vice President Walter Mondale during its time. On Earth Day in 1990, the land was donated to The Nature Conservancy by Cowles Media Company, and in 1992 the title was transferred to the State of Minnesota. While that transfer took place in June, [3] celebrations of the park's anniversary are held around Earth Day. [4]

2004 and 2005 blowdown

In August 2004, a severe thunderstorm with straight-line winds came through the area, causing severe damage to the landscape. As a result of this devastating incident, the park was closed to the public for a week to clean up debris left by the storm. Less than ten months later, in 2005, Glendalough State Park was hit by another thunderstorm resulting in damage. Following the 2005 storm, the state park was able to remain open with aid from the staff and volunteers of the park. The staff and volunteers used signs and notices warning park visitors of hazards of downed trees throughout the park.

Recreation

Glendalough State Park has many forms of recreation facilities that are provided to park visitors, including fishing, camping, hiking, birding, picture taking, boating, kayaking and canoeing. The park has a Historic Lodge where former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon, and former Vice President Walter Mondale stayed when they visited Glendalough State Park. While camping at Glendalough State Park, it is highly advised that any food be stored into a food locker that the park provides with the site. The park discourage visitors from storing their food in the tents because the wildlife can easily tear open the tents and get to the food.

Lodging

Glendalough State Park has the historic Glendalough Lodge at the park. The lodge is rented out to parties for tours or family gatherings. The state park also has the Trail Center near the Glendalough Lodge.

Camping

At Glendalough State Park, there are three sites designated for camping. The west shore of Annie Battle Lake, between south Annie Battle Lake and North of Molly Stark Lake and on the Southeast corner of Annie Battle Lake.

Picnicking and swimming

This is a scene of one of Glendalough State Park's picnic and beach areas. GlendaloughStateParkOnShaoteOfAnnieBattleLake.jpg
This is a scene of one of Glendalough State Park's picnic and beach areas.

Glendalough offers picnicking and swimming areas, often with solitude. Glendalough has two swimming areas for the visitors: on the north shore of Annie Battle Lake near the historic Lodge and Trail Center, and on the north shore of Molly Stark Lake near the Picnic Shelter.

Cart-in site

The campsite along the west side of Annie Battle Lake is designated as a cart-in campground. The state park wants the park visitors to have a primitive setting while camping. This location has four cabins; four electric cabins with one of the cabins being designated as handicapped accessible for the park visitors who need these accommodations.

Group camp

There is one group camp site in the state park: along the creek that flows from Molly Stark Lake to Annie Battle Lake. The group camp is designated for more than seven people for a regular site but no more than 45.

Canoe-in campground

The canoe-in campsites is one of the primitive settings that Glendalough State Park has to offer. Over at the canoe-in sites are three tent sites and two yurts. Glendalough State Park is one of three state parks in Minnesota to have yurts available for campers to stay in.

Rustic camping

Between Labor Day and Memorial Day, the facility at the main campground shuts down for the season for a more rustic style of living.

Biology and ecology

Plant life

Glendalough State Park has a few restored acres of land designated as prairie restoration. Within this restoration land, prairie plants such as Big Bluestem, Pasque Flower, and Pussy toe may be found.

Wildlife

Wildlife at Glendalough State Park consists of red-winged blackbirds, white-tailed deer, bald eagles, ospreys, turtles, Canada geese, wood ducks, pied-billed grebes, barred owls, red foxes, blue-winged teals, beavers, raccoons and snakes.

Related Research Articles

Scouting in Florida is composed of Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA) local councils in Florida. Scouting in Florida has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Itasca State Park</span> State park in Minnesota, U.S.

Itasca State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The park spans 32,690 acres (132.3 km2) of northern Minnesota, and is located about 21 miles (34 km) north of Park Rapids, Minnesota and 25 miles (40 km) from Bagley, Minnesota. The park is part of Minnesota's Pine Moraines and Outwash Plains Ecological Subsection and is contained within Clearwater, Hubbard, and Becker counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starved Rock State Park</span> State park in Illinois, United States

Starved Rock State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Illinois, characterized by the many canyons within its 2,630 acres (1,064 ha). Located just southeast of the village of Utica, in Deer Park Township, LaSalle County, Illinois, along the south bank of the Illinois River, the park hosts over two million visitors annually, the most for any Illinois state park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voyageurs National Park</span> National park in Minnesota, United States

Voyageurs National Park is an American national park in northern Minnesota near the city of International Falls established in 1975. The park's name commemorates the voyageurs—French-Canadian fur traders who were the first European settlers to frequently travel through the area. Notable for its outstanding water resources, the park is popular with canoeists, kayakers, other boaters, and fishermen. The Kabetogama Peninsula, which lies entirely within the park and makes up most of its land area, is accessible only by boat. To the east of the park lies the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chickasaw State Park (Tennessee)</span> State park in Tennessee, United States

Chickasaw State Park is a state park located in Chester County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The park consists of 1,280 acres (5 km²) amidst a 14,384 acres (58 km²) state forest, and includes Lake Placid, Lake Lajoie, and some of West Tennessee's highest areas.

Potato Creek State Park is an Indiana state park located in north-central part of the U.S. state of Indiana about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of South Bend. Potato Creek is open year-round and supports various activities and facilities, including fishing, hiking, camping and mountain biking. Natural habitats include the 327-acre (1.3 km2) Worster Lake, old fields, mature woodlands, restored prairies, and diverse restored wetlands. Each offers different opportunities for plant and wildlife observation. The northeast corner has been designated "Swamp Rose Nature Preserve"; now about 1 square mile is either wetlands or in Worster Lake. Potato Creek receives about 570,000 visitors annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Tier High Adventure</span> Scouting adventure program in Minnesota and Canada

Northern Tier High Adventure is a collection of high adventure bases run by the Boy Scouts of America in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota, Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park and Canadian Crown Lands, Manitoba's Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park, Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, and points beyond. Northern Tier is the oldest of the four National High Adventure Bases operated by the Boy Scouts of America; the others currently in operation are Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, Florida Sea Base in the Keys, and The Summit in West Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bon Echo Provincial Park</span>

Bon Echo Provincial Park is a provincial park in southeastern Ontario north of Kaladar, approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of Cloyne and located within the township boundaries of both Addington Highlands and North Frontenac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground</span> Magic Kingdom area resort at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is a themed camping resort located in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area at the Walt Disney World Resort. It officially opened on November 19, 1971. The resort is adjacent to Bay Lake and the upcoming Reflections Vacation Club Resort. The resort is also located near Disney's Wilderness Lodge. It also formerly contained Disney's River Country, a water park which closed on November 2, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tettegouche State Park</span> United States historic place in Minnesota

Tettegouche State Park, pronounced “tet-a-gooch”, in the United States, is a Minnesota state park on the north shore of Lake Superior 58 miles (93 km) northeast of Duluth in Lake County on scenic Minnesota Highway 61. The park's name stems from the Tettegouche Club, an association of local businessmen which purchased the park in 1910 from the Alger-Smith Lumber Company. The club's members protected the area until its sale in 1971 to the deLaittres family. In 1979, the state of Minnesota acquired 3,400 acres (1,400 ha) from the Nature Conservancy, including Tettegouche Camp. The land was added to Baptism River State Park, which was renamed Tettegouche State Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clear Creek State Park</span>

Clear Creek State Park is a 1,211.19-acre (490.15 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Barnett and Heath Townships, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Public campsites were first opened at the park in 1922. Many of the facilities seen today at the park were constructed during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Clear Creek State Park is 12 miles (19 km) from Brookville on Pennsylvania Route 949 at the confluence of Clear Creek and the Clarion River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William O'Brien State Park</span> State park in Minnesota

William O'Brien State Park is a 1,520-acre (6.2 km2) state park of Minnesota, USA, along the St. Croix River. Its hiking trails traverse rolling glacial moraine, riparian zones, restored oak savanna, wooded areas and bogs. It is a popular place for birdwatching, picnics, camping, cross-country skiing, canoeing, fishing, and other typical outdoor recreational activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Shetek State Park</span> United States historic place

Lake Shetek State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, on Lake Shetek, which is the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota and the headwaters of the Des Moines River. It is most popular for water recreation and camping. However the park also contains historical resources related to the Dakota War of 1862, including an original log cabin and a monument to 15 white settlers killed there and at nearby Slaughter Slough on August 20, 1862.

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway 250 miles of riverways in Wisconsin (US) managed by the National Park Service

The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is a federally protected system of riverways located in eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. It protects 252 miles (406 km) of river, including the St. Croix River, and the Namekagon River, as well as adjacent land along the rivers. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is one of the original eight National Wild and Scenic Rivers, largely as a result of legislation by senators Walter Mondale of Minnesota and Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. The largest scenic riverway east of the Mississippi River, it lies within parts of eight counties in Wisconsin: Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix, Sawyer, and Washburn; and three in Minnesota: Chisago, Pine, and Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patriots' Path Council</span> Scout council in New Jersey

The Patriots' Path Council includes Morris, Sussex, Somerset, Union, and Middlesex counties in New Jersey. It was established in 1999 with the merger of the Morris-Sussex Area Council (1936–1999) and the Watchung Area Council (1926–1999). On February 6, 2014, Patriots Path Council absorbed several Scouting units from the dissolved Central New Jersey Council (1999-2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ridgway State Park</span>

Ridgway State Park is a state park located in Ouray County, Colorado. The park is 21 miles southeast of Montrose, 14 miles northeast of Ouray, it is also 4 miles north of the town of Ridgway and 312 miles southwest of Denver. The current wildlife consists of deer, mountain lions, coyotes, rabbits, and elk. Due to the park's variety of animal life, the park is used as a hunting ground although hunting opportunities are extremely limited due to proximity to developed areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallowa Lake State Park</span> State park in Oregon, United States

Wallowa Lake State Park is a state park located in northeast Oregon in the United States. It is at the southern shore of Wallowa Lake, near the city of Joseph in Wallowa County. The town of Wallowa Lake is situated next to the park.

Hickory Knob State Resort Park is a state park located on the shores of Lake Strom Thurmond near the town of McCormick in McCormick County, South Carolina. It is the only resort park in the South Carolina State Park system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooks Camp</span>

Brooks Camp is a visitor attraction and archeological site in Katmai National Park and Preserve, noted for its opportunities for visitors to observe Alaskan brown bears catching fish in the falls of the Brooks River during salmon spawning season. The Brooks River connects Lake Brooks and Naknek Lake over about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi). This natural choke point for salmon runs made it an attractive location for prehistoric Alaskans, who occupied the area from 4500 BP. The Aglegmuit people lived along the Brooks River in historical times. The Brooks River Archeological District, which includes Brooks Camp, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gifford Pinchot State Park</span> State park in York County, Pennsylvania,

Gifford Pinchot State Park is a 2,338-acre (946 ha) Pennsylvania state park in northern York County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The park is located on the site of farm fields and wooded hillsides. The central 340-acre (140 ha) Pinchot Lake is an important recreation site featuring a designated swim area on an artificial beach, boat launch with rentals and tours, and prime bass fishing. Surrounding the lake are campsites that accommodate tents and trailers, as well as yurts and cabins. Two 18-hole disc golf courses and volleyball courts are nearby the picnic areas for day use. There are several trails that pass through the park, including the Mason-Dixon Trail. Environmental education programs are provided at the park and a dedicated Environmental Learning Center is open on weekends in the summer for exhibit visitors. Additionally, an electric vehicle charging station has been installed for guests.

References

  1. "Glendalough State Park". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey. September 8, 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  2. Domhoff, G. William (1967). Who Rules America?. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. p. 67. LCCN   67-25926. OCLC   651910232. OL   5547280M.
  3. "Glendalough State Park". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
  4. Meier, Jeff. "Glendalough State Park holding 25th anniversary celebration". Fergus Falls Daily Journal.

Further reading