PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 87 



There is a public road running to within one-half mile of the mouth of 

 the Hollow on the south, and another road runs north of the Hollow, about 

 eighty rods from it. 



The beauty and grandeur, and vegetation are all there, and with a little 

 work, this could be made one of the most beautiful nature spots on the 

 Des Moilnes river. 



WOODMAN'S HOLLOW AND WILDCAT DEN. 

 By L. H. Pammel, Botanist. 



Webster county is one of the most pleasant, from the scenic and 

 scientific standpoint, in the Des Moines valley, as shown by the following 

 letter from Mr. Price, of Ft. Dodge, Iowa, to the writer, in which he makes 

 the following remarks: "Some time last year I wrote you regarding 

 Woodman's Hollow, just east of Otho, in Webster county. At that time 

 you mentioned a desire to have that glen set off as a state park. 



"For five years of my boyhood days, I lived in that vicinity, roamed the 

 woods and explored all the many ravines formed by the small streams cut- 

 ting through the sandstone formations on their way to the river. 



"Of course the forest conditions that then prevailed have been de 

 stroyed and can never be replaced, but much of the natural beauty still 

 remains and should be conserved. 



"Having friends and relatives still living in the neighborhood, I have 

 made several visits there within the last two years and have gone over 

 much of the ground where I once hunted, fished and w r ondered at the 

 beauties of Nature. 



"I do not know whether you have further explored the immediate neigh- 

 borhood and are acquainted with the wild country around the mouth of 

 Prairie Creek east of the old David Douglas farm and south of the James 

 Black farm. 



"To my mind that is the most practical site for a state park, as it is easy 

 of access, has much of the natural beauty of Woodman's Hollow and is 

 large enough to accommodate camping parties and to give sites for cot- 

 tages. 



"There are several hundred acres of broken land of little use for either 

 agriculture or grazing. It is true that the heavy woods that once covered 

 all that section have been largely cut off, but many trees still remain and 

 the conditions are much like a city park. 



"I visited the place last year and gathered nuts where I once roamed 

 and found that very many people frequent the spot for outings. There 

 were perhaps a dozen autos there that day and the supply of hickory 

 and butternuts was ample for all. Good fishing is to be found all along 

 the river near the mouth of the creek." 



Mr. O. M. Oleson and Mr. M. P. Somes, in speaking of the area in 

 Webster county say: 



"Webster county lies just north and west of the geographical center of 

 Iowa and is somewhat larger than any of the surrounding counties having 

 an area of 720 miles. The county is primarily a prairie county, its only 



