PARK AND CEMETERY. 
3 
THE INTERSTATE PARK, DALLES OF THE ST. CRQIX, 
MINNESOTA-WISCONSIN, 
The idea of preserving the natural beauties of 
the country is happily a growing one. In a few 
instances it has become facts, and work has been 
in progress to establish public parks, so that the 
characteristic natural features ol the locality may 
be perpetually reserved for the people. It may be 
assumed that in the past the time was not ripe for 
successful effort in this direction, nor has the wealth 
of landscape, emphasized and embellished as it is 
by natural phenomena in so many places, exercised 
for a public reserve, and the first law looking to 
that end was passed in the State of Minnesota 
April 25, 1895, and by Wisconsin, April 19, 1895. 
After the preliminaries were settled the governor 
of Minnesota appointed Mr. Hazzard commissioner 
for the park, and, with an appropriation of $5,000, 
he proceeded with the work of improvement, which 
has been carried on for two years with remarkable 
results considering the comparative small amount 
of funds at his disposal. It may be well to state in 
connection with this that the project had a large 
number of ardent supporters, who, notwithstanding 
TAYLORS FALLS, MINN. ST, CROIX FALLS, WIS. 
View FROM A HIGH POINT liELOW THE ELUOW IN THE DALLES, ON THE WISCONSIN SIDE. 
an influence potent enough to move the people to 
the propriety of legislation to attain the desired 
object. 
Such apathy is at an end, and in many states 
steps have been taken to secure favored localities, 
and work undertaken to create of them public 
reservations. For a long time the Dalles of the 
St. Croix, the river forming part of the boundary 
between Minnesota and Wisconsin, have been 
famous for the scenery and for the wonderful 
geological conditions presented. The locality has 
long been an El Dorado for the geologist and 
botanist, and for the lover of nature in wild 
grandeur few spots offer more enticing attractions. 
It was in 1895 that Mr. George II. Ilazzard of 
St. Paul, Minn., called public attention to the 
desirability of securing the Dalles of ilie bl. Croix 
the usual discouragements, upheld the commis- 
sioner’s hands and encouraged him to constant 
effort. 
When operations for the improvement of the 
tract were begun the place was rough indeed — 
nothing but wild nature, with means of access to 
the points of interest only available to the pioneer 
used to such surroundings. With the above appro- 
priation the park has been maintained for two 
years, 150 acres cleared up, some 30 old houses and 
outbuildings removed, mud holes and small swamps 
drained, replanting where necessary trees, shrubs 
and vines, adding to the mosses and ferns in their 
nooks, erecting offices and public comfort building,^, 
constructing platforms, walks and steps, and pro- 
viding furniture. In addition, a steamboat dock 
with approadies has been built, and row boats 
