I've been thinking about how much 2024 is feeling like the infamous drought year, 2012…
Happy December everyone! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday and that you were able to get outdoors over the weekend. On Black Friday, we avoided the madness to #OptOutside and walk around Devil’s Lake. In fact, I posted a video walk on Youtube… and that lead to a question. So let’s dig in;
As you know, on our Youtube Channel, I sometimes post “Slow TV” style videos of walks, drives, paddles, and hikes around the area. For some, it’s just a nice way to explore the area and for others, it’s an opportunity to “get outside” when it’s just not possible otherwise. On Friday I condensed an hour-long hike around Devil’s Lake to about 20 minutes. Along the way, we cut through a tunnel under the railroad tracks along on the southeastern corner of the lake.
A viewer posted, “I’ve been going there for over 30 years and I never knew that stone arch was there.” Yep. It’s easy to miss!
Well, the tunnel you see in the video was constructed under the railroad to allow the Kirk family to safely drive their cattle and horses from the barn to the lake. Did you know there once was a farm at the foot of the east bluff? According to Kenneth Lange, former park naturalist, and author, “Noble C. Kirk (1827-1895) was born in Ohio; he came to Baraboo in 1850 and four years later bought several hundred acres of land by the southeastern corner of Devil’s Lake. In 1882 he married a school teacher, Sarah Warner (1839-1921). There were no children. The Kirk’s had Whitney crab and apple orchards, and he made cider…” – A Lake Where Spirit’s Live. (Devil’s Lake became a Wisconsin State Park until 1911.)
The tunnel is located on the north end of the South Shore day-use area. It is connected to the Balanced Rock trail by an unofficial social trail. Also if you’re curious, head a bit east of the Balanced Rock trail to locate the foundation of the old Kirk farmhouse. (Infamous for its bees last summer!)
For this and other historic locations within the park check out our Historical Sites Google Map.
And now you know. ;)
For nearly 2 decades the Skillet Creek blog has focused on 3 main goals; To inspire you to visit and explore the Devil’s Lake region, to help you get the most your visit by sharing tips, events, and other helpful information. Lastly to advocate for our environment & wildlife and talk about how we can keep our natural areas amazing now and into the future! That last goal can sometimes cause controversy, but it’s the only way we can accomplish the first two. – Derrick Mayoleth, Owner.
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