Discovering Henderson Park – an on-going Experience
There are many wonderful parks operated by the Greene County Conservation Board. Each park is worth exploring for its own reasons. But for nearness to Jefferson, for ease of making regular, even short visits; for making on-going observations of the North Raccoon River; for immersing yourself in the beauty and shade of the floodplain trees while seeing and hearing a wide variety of wildlife -- you can do no better than discovering and experiencing Henderson Park!
Finding the park is easy. Just drive south from Jefferson on Highway 4. When you arrive at the Municipal Golf Course watch the east side of the road for the wooden “Henderson Park” sign and turn at the gravel entrance. If you can avoid the bumps in the road, let the trees start to soothe your mind and spirit. As you drive further into the park, observe the large, beautiful rocks - some great for sitting - that form carefully defined and attractive borders for the grassy areas, and, of course, walk the banks of the main feature, the North Raccoon River!
For your first visit, I suggest simply exploring what the park offers.
For those who love to picnic, notice the picnic tables under the rectangular gazebo, the large barrel grill and imagine how easily you could enjoy even a take in meal in the shade of this shelter. For boaters, as you stand by the concrete boat ramp, know you are an 8.6-mile paddle upstream to the McMahon Access ramp and an 8.1-mile paddle downstream to the Squirrel Hollow Access ramp. For campers, walk to the self-registration station by the pit toilets, mounted on a yellow pole and, perhaps, surprisingly learn that the cost to camp for non-electric sites (all that is available) is only $10.00 per night.
If the water level is low enough, appreciate the fishing riffle designed with rocks that add oxygen to the North Raccoon River improving environmental conditions for fish and fishing as the water flows over, around and under these strategically placed obstacles. According to the Henderson Park website, you are most likely to catch walleye, smallmouth bass, and catfish. Or you can simply watch and listen to the water flow, unaware of time, lost in day dreaming, or in reading your latest “can’t put down” book.
For the scientifically and river water quality motivated, check out the solar-powered equipment placed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as “part of a national network of over 7,000 sites monitoring river flow . . . for a variety of needs including floods, droughts, water supply, and water quality.” For the highly inspired, jot down the website so you can log in and monitor the information gathered at any of the 7,000 sites even in a “real time” basis.
For tree, fish and bird lovers, see if you can identify the types of trees that grow in the park and the birds you see and only hear from the woods. Each visit is different, but you may well spot migrating geese, ducks, swallows and other soaring birds circling above the water, song birds, sparrows, robins, blue heron, eagles and more. Though rare from my experience, you may even see a fish jump and splash in the river or catch glimpses of deer running through the timber stand across the river.
For the historically minded, according to an article written June 6, 2019 by Andrew McGinn, Jefferson Bee & Herald, you may be surprised to learn that Henderson Park is actually the first park developed entirely by Greene County financial resources and gifts of land with a history starting in early 1959. McGinn explains that other parks, such as Squirrel Hollow and Spring Lake, have earlier origins, but they were developed with federal funds during the depression (Squirrel Hollow) or by private funds, then state funds and finally by Greene County (Spring Lake). The historically minded will also appreciate the marker that tells the story of a February 9, 1936 rescue via dog sled. There’s more to the story, but you can read that for yourself.
After this initial visit, you can decide all the ways you would like to continue to discover Henderson Park. From my many experiences of discovering Henderson Park, fifteen minutes here and half an hour there, the joys of discovering Henderson Park build experience upon experience as each and every visit brings its own delights. Due to changing seasons and weather conditions, Henderson Park is a new park to re-discover on each visit!
In writing this column, my goal has been and is to encourage Greene County residents to discover and enjoy experiences at Henderson Park and its’ main attraction – the North Raccoon River -- with the hope that more people will come to love this shared treasure as much as I have as a newcomer over the past two and a half years. Why this goal of increasing our love for the shared treasure of Henderson Park? It’s simple! We will only work to protect what we love, right? And from my observations and research, Henderson Park and its’ main attraction – the North Raccoon River – needs protection by all of us!
Having lived in Jefferson since only December 2021, Bryan knows he will always be a newcomer in town. Though this may surprise his readers, he wants everyone to know that he truly delights in this role!
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