About this Event
🏛️🌳 Guided History Tour of County Grounds Park 🌳🏛️
📖 About the TourJoin Jonathan Piel, who has extensively researched and documented the history of County Grounds Park, for a fascinating ~1-mile guided hike. Through stories, maps, photos, and videos, Jonathan brings more than a century of the park’s history to life.
✨ Tour Highlights include:
- Majestic 300-year-old trees 🌳
- 150-years of rich history about the Milwaukee County mental health hospitals🏥
- 120-year-old fieldstone stairs, split-boulder pavilion, and 6' stone dolphin vase 🐬
- Remnants of former waterfalls 💦and sunken gardens
🎥 Bonus: Rare 1950s video footage + historic photos will be shared!
👣 Details
- Distance: ~1 mile with frequent stops
- Dress for the weather 🌦
- Paths are not suitable for mobility-impaired visitors
- 🚻 No onsite restrooms
- 🐕 Friendly dogs on leash are welcome!
- 👨👩👧👦 Tours are appropriate for all ages.
💚 Free Tour, Optional Donations
These tours are completely free, led by volunteers from the Friends of County Grounds Park, a non-profit working to protect and improve this special place.
If you’re inspired, consider a $5 per person donation — every bit helps with:
- Habitat restoration 🌻
- Tree planting 🌳
- Invasive species removal 🌱
- Outreach and education 📚
- Park signage 🚏
💳 Donate anytime online: PayPal (accpeting all credit cards)
💵 Or after the tour: Cash, or checks made out to “The Park People of Milwaukee” (write “County Grounds” in the memo).
🚗 Important Location Info
- Search “Sanctuary Woods Parking” in Apple/Google/Waze for directions.
- The parking circle is about 0.5 mile north & west of 87th & Watertown Plank Rd.
- Tour begins & ends at the square gravel parking lot in the park center at the park sign (see images below).
- Park map: 👉 www.countygroundsfriends.org
📧 Questions? Email:
🌟 Step back in time, see hidden relics, and discover the incredible history woven into County Grounds Park! 🌟
Event venue & nearby stays
Do Not Use This Address - See map at www.countygroundsfriends.org, 8624 West Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, United States
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