Mountain Historical Society Green Lake Park sign, June 4, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
MOUNTAIN, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Proud moments in an effort in northern Oconto County to reopen a once-popular site in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
“It’s the Green Lake Park and Picnic Shelter. It is now the Historic Green Lake Park and Picnic Shelter. It’s a little surreal. I can’t believe we did it. But I am so happy and ecstatic that we did it. I’m very proud,” said Brenda Carey-Mielke, Mountain Historical Society President.
Brenda Carey-Mielke says there is a history behind the improvements.
“This building is the only reason why this park is open. Because it is on the National Register of Historic Places, its cultural significance to the Mountain community. This is the only reason why we were able to get this park open,” she said.
Carey-Mielke says the U.S. Forest Service owns the pavilion, and the five-acre Green Lake Park near Mountain. She says the site was closed due to budget cuts nearly 10 years ago, but an agreement between the two groups allows the historical society to manage the park. And after months of cleanup, and more than 100 trees removed, the Mountain Historical Society Green Lake Park officially opened to the public on Memorial Day Weekend.
“It’s a beautiful piece of nature. We have beautiful accessible walking paths, so people with disabilities can glide through the park now, where as before, they could not. We have five identified picnic sites, We had these made and installed. These beautiful picnic tables that are accessible, with open ends. U.S. Forest Service-grade grills to cook on,” she said.
Carey-Mielke says the beach is raked and ready to go. There are benches to relax, and reflect. And for $75 a day, the historic pavilion is available to rent. She says the U.S. Forest Service may use the agreement as a template in the future.
“They want to be able to create an atmosphere, and a program, where other parks that were closed, that may have something of significant historical value in that park, will be able to reopen with Forest Services. So we’re very proud of that,” she said.
Mountain Historical Society Green Lake Park is open daily, and it’s free to enter.
Donations are accepted.
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