NEW OWNERSHIP FOR MILL CREEK PARK!

O'Brien County Conservation Board now own the park!

On March 12, 1935, bonds were offered for sale by the First National Bank of Paullina. The $20,000 raised was used to purchase land for the park and to initiate park improvements. The park was transferred to the ownership of the State Conservation Commission on October 25, 1935. Seventy six years hae passed and the O'Brien County Conservation Board has now received ownership of Mill Creek State Park.

Due to vision and diligence of community members, the park project began. Through the years, many citizens, the City of Paullina, and the O'Brien County supervisors have continued to make improvements

Mill Creek Park~From the History Book

The O'Brien County Conservation Board is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Mill Creek Park near Paullina. A look at the history book provides clues about the beginnings of the park.

*In 1975, the O'Brien County Conservation Board took over management of the park. The renewal agreement is valid for 25 year periods.

*Shortly after the management agreement was signed, the Board contacted with Northwest Iowa Technical College of Sheldom to remove silt from the lake basin, drag the channel, and construct three control like structures. The depth of the lake was set at 18 1/2 feet.

*Scout Island was developed in 1976 as part of the lake renovation process. This area is an excellent spot for civic organizations such as scouts and others to take part in the camping experience. It is also a restful and picturesque spot for weddings and other functions.

*In 1977, playground equipment was installed in the park. This and other improvements were made possible by a generous donation in memory of Victor Swanson.

*Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, improvements were made to the park including campsite development, improvements to the beach, and a bike trail from the city to the park.

Upcoming Events

Monday, August 1 - Animal Adaptations at Neebel Park in Hartley 1:00p.m. to 3:00p.m.

~Youths ages 5-12 can meet a naturalist at the city park to learn more about animals and their habitats. Games, fun and a snack will be part of the afternoon.

Tuesday, August 2-Geogaching Basics at the Prairie Heritage Center 6:30p.m.

~Find your way with a GPS unit. This course will get you started with the basics.

Saturday, August 6-Movie on the Beach at Mill Creek Park-Dusk

~Bring your lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the last movie on the beach of the season.

Monday, August 8-Fascinating Forests at Mill Creek Park 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

~Youth age 5-12 bring your sense of adventure and meet a naturalist at the lodge. Explore the woods with a scavenger hung, tree id race and more!

Thursday, August 11-Perseid Meteor Shower at the Prairie Heritage Center 8:30 p.m.

~Join in this night sky event-perfect for the whole family. Learn about the night sky with an indoor activity. Then grab your blanket or lawn chair and head to the prairie to view the shower.

Saturday, August 13-Inkapaduta Canoe Race 10:30 a.m.

~Peterson to the Praire Heritage Center

Tuesday, August 23-Bison Burger Picnic and Lawn Concert 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

~Make plans to bring your famil and friends to this fun annual event. Support the nature center while enjoying the fun, food and music.

Thursday, September 8-Millions of Monarchs-Mill Creek Park 5:30 p.m.

~Be immersed in the monarch migration. Meet at the lodge to learn more about this butterfly's life cycle. We will then spread throughout the park to tag the monarchs.

Saturday, September 10- Women in the Outdoors-Oak Grove Park 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m.

~The full slate of events has not been set yet; but as always women will have an opportunity to learn outdoor skills in a supportive environment.

Saturday, September 10-Hunter Safety Education Course-Mill Creek Lodge 8:00am. to 5:00p.m

Sunday, September 11 1:00p.m. to 4:00p.m.

~Call Rich Frerk to reigister yourself or child. 712-448-2590

Saturday, September 10-Nature Writing-Prairie Heritage Center 8:30a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

~Space is limited and pre-registration is needed. Registration deadline is September 7. Our gues presenter is Ann Lundberg. Ann is a professor of English at Northwestern College.

Thursday, September 15-Fall Prairie Walk-Prairie Heritage Center 6:00 p.m.

~Enjoy a stoll through the tall grass in the cool of the autumn evening.

Saturday, September 17-Hawk Watch-Prairie Heritage Center 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

~Stop by this come-and-go event and keep an eye on the sky for raptors overhead.

Saturday, September 25-Fall Fest-Prairie Heritage Center 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

~Celebrate 5 years of service for the Prairie Heritage Center at this event. The fall fest is fun for all ages with horse drawn wagon rides, crafts, fresh pressed apple cider and more.

Tuesday, October 4-Tree-rific-Prairie Heritage Center 6:30 p.m.

~Join a naturalist for a family oriented evening learning about trees.

~S

Upcoming Events

Monday, August 1 1:00p.m - 3:00 p.m. -Animal Adaptations-Neebel park-Hartley

~Youth age 5-12 can meet a naturalist at the city park to learn more about animals and their h

Fishing Jetty At Dog Creek

A 110' foot long rock habitat structure and fishing jetty was recently installed on the north side of Dog Creek Lake near the beach. This structure will be a big boost for people fishing in the lake. The jetty allows access to deep water fishing without the need for a boat. The point is also accesible for anglers with limited mobility.

In addition to making fishing access easier, the base of the jetty also improves fish habitat. The rock substrate provides shelter for small insects which attract small fish and finally bring larger fish to the area surronding the jetty. This improves the fisheries population of the entire lake and also adds to sport fish quality and quantity.

A solar light will soon be installed at the end of the jetty. This devise will attract insects into the open water surronding the platform and improve the fishing opportunities. The light will also provide night access for anglers.

Fishing is great at Dog Creek. Several large fish, including at 21 1/2" large mouth bass, have recently been caught!

Bring your gear and check out the new fishing opportunity for our area!

The 17th Annual Wings & Wetlands Weekend

A six county festival Saturday & Sunday-May 14th & 15th, 2011

The Wings and Wetlands Festival is an annual event held throughout the counties of Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, O'Brien, Clay and Palo Alto. Special activities to celebrate the return of Spring are planned.

Here's whats in store for O'Brien County on Saturday, May 14:

7:30 a.m. - Breakfast with the birds
Get your day started with a little birding adventure. Meet at the Prairie Heritage
Center. Rolls and coffee will be served. We'll start out with a hike down the path,
then carpool over to Wanata State Park, near Peterson.

11:00 a.m.- Trumpeter Swan Release
Head over to Waterman Prairie for another "Prairie Parade" event. The site is
located 1 1/2 miles south of Hwy 10 on Warbler Ave. Follow the gravel road
around the hill. The parking lot on the east side of road. Have an opportunity to
view and touch these magnificent birds before they are released onto the pond.

2:00 p.m. - Explore the Wonders of Water
Bring the whole family out to Dog Creek Park. We will meet at shelter house
by the beach. This event will involve a little water and a lot of fun as we explore
the wonders of water through activities and games.

7:00 p.m.- Snakes Alive
Come out to the Prairie Heritage Center to enjoy a live reptile program
presented by Rebecca Christoffel of Iowa State University. She will be bringing
some live reptiles with her for you to view. While at the center, be sure to check out
the Slithering Snake Exhibit in the lower level.

Slithering Snake Exhibit

Slide on in to the nature center to view this exhibit beginning April 1st. Walk through a gigantic full bodied snake! A dynamic traveling exhibit will be on display in the lower level of the center through summer. You won't want to miss it! This exhibit was originally constructed by Purdue University and was a top notch draw at the Indiana State Fair.

Information is power! Whether snakes make you a little nervous of if you are totally fascinated by them, this exhibit if for you. Regardless of where you are on the comfort continuum, there is always something new to learn.

Rebecca Christoffel, from Iowa State Univeristy, will be our highlighted speaker at the Wings and Wetlands Festival on Saturday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m. She will be bringing live snakes for demonstration and will also present fascinating information about them. Mark your calendars, you won't want to miss this one!!

Big Bucks Event

Our 1st Big Bucks of Northwest Iowa event was a huge success! We had over 140 entries that either brought deer heads or sheds. We also had 500 people attend the event! Thanks to everyone that helped make this day successful! Pictures will be coming soon!

Mill Creek Park-From the History Book

The O'Brien County Conservation Board is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Mill Creek Park near Paullina with events held throughout 2011. A look back into the history book provides clues about the beginning of the park.

*Many trees were planted during the summer of 1937. In one section of the park, over 1,500 walnut trees were planted. Other varieties of trees were also included.

*The building of the dam in 1937 was followed by the construction of the lodge. It included an ample auditorium with a native rock fireplace and was equipped solid walnut furniture in semi-rustic style.

*The City of Paullina has always supported the park. In the winter of 1940, the park board purchased sand and gravel for beach improvements A diving tower and docks were constructed, and flood lights were installed for convenience and safety.

*A green space was left without trees in the southwest corner of the park. This space was used extensively in the early days for a polo team. Teams from as far away as Omaha, Minneapolis, and Pierre traveled to play here. "It was regrettable that the World War began and many of the young men were called to service. Since that time the polo team has become history."

*On April 29, 1947, a flash flood did much damage to the dam. Surging water skirted the side wall and washed away the foundation and spillway. The lake was entirely drained, and it was a "sorry looking mess." Work commenced immediately to repair the damage. By July 24, the swimming lessons were already in session.

Prairie Parade through 2011

Join the O'Brien County Conservation Board staff for a parade through the prairie in 2011. The tallgrass prairie is a dynamic place to visit. Every week a transformation occurs. Colors change, animals migrate through and plants burst into bloom.
Winter was filled with snowshoe hikes and winter games. Prairie parade visitors had a ball. Check out these families enjoying a native game of double ball in the snow.
Eagles, Pasque flowers, frogs, swans and spring wildflowers top the list for the prairie parade this season. Be sure to check the calendar and plan to attend.
Although they are not on this years schedule as a public program, keep an eye out for evidence of spring prairie burns. They are an important part of prairie management!

Mill Creek Park - From the History Book

The O'Brien County Conservation Board is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Mill Creek Park near Paullina with events held throughout 2011. A look back into the history book provides clues about the beginnings of the park.

*The idea of building a dam for a lake was first brought forward by Hugh Dealy, Fred Holms and George Harris in 1912. Survery work was completed and the idea was found to be sound. However, the Northwestern Railway objected to the plan claiming that the dam located closely to one of their bridges would endanger the railroad passage.

*The plan was dropped until 1933 when George Callenius and Robert Mattice again revived the idea. Sentiment grew slowly in favor of the idea.

*In March 1935, a bond election was held with the proposal to issue and sell bonds in the amount of $20,000 to be used for park improvements and the purchase of the land on which the park now stands. The transfer of land to the state was made in October 1935.

*On December 3, 1935 a small group of WPA workers arrived to begin work on the lake. In the next year the group expanded to a total of 300 workers. The original plan was that 35,000 yards of earth was to be moved by hand labor only. After realizing the process was to slow, draglines and dump trucks were brought in the next year. The work was completed by December 20, 1937. Water ran over the spillway for the first time on February 2, 1938.

*The watershed for the lake comprises approximately 3600 acres. The lake covers 52 acres of ground and is about 25 feet deep at the greatest depth.

*In October 1938, a crowd of 5,000 people gathered for the dedication of Mill Creek State Park. The park was decorated completely with flags and welcome banners.

*February Library Programs*

Discover the process of maple syrup making. Learn the history and myths behind the procedure. Check out the interesting tools and equipment. Even view a short video of syrup making in progress. This library program is sure to give you a

different view of the topping on your pancakes!

Monday, February 14- 7:00 p.m. - Sutherland Public Library

Wednesday, February 16 -2:00 p.m. -Hartley Public Library

Thursday, February 17 -2:00 p.m. - Sanborn Public Library

Thursday, February 24 -2:00 p.m. - Primghar Public Library

Monday, February 28 -7:00 p.m. - Sheldon Public Library

Winter Fun at the Prairie Heritage Center

Grab your boots, mittens, and hats! This winter fun day will get you outdoors to play games in the snow. Try snowshoe tag, snow snake races, flag in the snow stack and more!

Saturday, February 5 at 2:00 p.m.

Big Bucks of Northwest Iowa

Saturday, March 12 from 10:00am to 5 pm.

Calling all hunters...the Conservation Board is seeking large racks or head mounts to display. Help make this a notable event for Northwest Iowa. All participants who bring a deer mount or large racks to display will be entered into a drawing to win an H & R 20 gauge Ultra Slug with thumbhole stock valued at over $300. There will be one chance entered per item brought in to display.(Limit of 5 items per person) You may bring sheds to be scored but they are not eligible for the gun drawing. Boone and Crockett scorers will also be available at the event to score antlers.

Items may be dropped off at the center on Friday, March 11 from 9am to 6:30 pm. Also you can drop them off on Saturday morning from 8:00am to 10:00am. Please call us at 712-295-7200 to register for displaying your items.

A deer biologists will be presenting information on current deer trends at 2:00pm (?time pending). An ongoing presentation on food plots will be held throughout the day.

Winter Library Program Series-2011

January-Animal Folklore
Can a wooly bear caterpillar predict the weather? Does a January fog freeze a hog? Will eating a mouse pie cue stuttering? Come to the library near you to learn the facts and fiction behind these and more wildlife superstitions! Some sayings have a base in logic and some are fabulous stories. HMMMM-While you are thinking about it....will kissing a duck really cure a cold?

Monday, January 10-7:00 p.m. Sutherland Public Library
Wednesday, January 12-2:00 p.m. Hartley Public Library
Thursday, January 20-2:00 p.m. Sanborn Public Library
Monday, January 24-7:00 p.m. Sheldon Public Library
Thursday, January 27-2:00 p.m. Primghar Public Library