Brigham County Park
| Brigham County Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | 3160 County Highway F, Blue Mounds, Wisconsin |
| Coordinates | 43°01′41″N 89°49′03″W / 43.0280520°N 89.8176231°W[1] |
| Area | 232 acres (0.94 km2) |
| Operated by | Dane County Parks |
Brigham County Park is a county park located in western Dane County, Wisconsin near the village of Blue Mounds. The park encompasses 232 acres (0.94 km2) and includes 25 campsites. Other amenities in the park include nature and snowshoe trails, a picnic area, a playground, and volleyball and horseshoe courts.[2][3] A 1.5-mile (2.4 km) bicycle trail connects the campground to the Military Ridge State Trail.[4]
The park was named for Ebenezer Brigham, the first permanent European resident of Dane County. Brigham served as a colonel in the Black Hawk War and played a prominent role in Wisconsin's territorial politics. He and his family owned a large amount of land in the area, and the park was formed when the family donated its land to the county. A state historical marker in the park commemorates Brigham and his family's role in forming the park.[5] Nearby Blue Mound State Park was also formed from Brigham's land.[6]
The park is the site of East Blue Mound, the highest point in Dane County at 1,489 feet (454 m).[7] The mound is the partner of the taller Blue Mound, which is the highest point in southern Wisconsin, and one of the two mounds that gives the village of Blue Mounds its name.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Brigham Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Brigham County Park". Dane County Parks. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Bell, Jeannette; Bell, Chet (2000). County Parks of Wisconsin: 600 Parks You Can Visit Featuring 25 Favorites. Wisconsin Trails. p. 77. ISBN 9780915024872.
- ^ Glaze, Jeff (July 24, 2015). "New trail connects Military Ridge to Brigham County Park". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Wisconsin Historical Society marker in Brigham County Park. Republished in Brevet's Wisconsin Historical Markers and Sites. Brevet Press, 1974, 103.
- ^ Green, Doris (2000). Wisconsin Underground: A Guide to Caves, Mines, and Tunnels in and Around the Badger State. Big Earth Publishing. p. 12. ISBN 9780915024858.
- ^ "Wisconsin High Points". Wisconsin State Cartographer's Office. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Bewer, Tim (2003). Wisconsin's Outdoor Treasures: A Guide to 150 Natural Destinations. Big Earth Publishing. p. 159. ISBN 9781931599290.