Kenosha our town

Town

Our

Kenosha, Wis.

2015

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101 things to see and do

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

The Kenosha Area Convention and Visitors Bureau offers these 101 things to do this spring and summer for $10 or less in the Kenosha area:

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1. Try for an ace or a birdie on the disc golf course at UW-Parkside, Fox River Park, or Silver Lake Park. FREE 2. One of the best views of Lake Michigan is from the top of the 1866 Southport Lighthouse! $10 or less to climb 3. Bring your favorite 4-legged friend to run and play at K9 Korner Dog Park, Ingram Park Dog Park, Carlisle Family Dog Park, Harris Family Dog Park, or Warren Close Bark Park. FREE to $5, depending on park 4. Enjoy the Twilight Jazz Free Concert Series beside Lake Michigan at Anderson Arts Center: June 30, July 7, July 21, July 28 and August 25. FREE 5. Take an Electric Streetcar ride along our beautiful Lake Michigan shore. $1 and less 6. Orson Welles spent the first five years of his life here, so Kenosha celebrates his 100th birthday with many events in May. FREE to nominal fee depending on event 7. A Kenosha tradition for 14 years, enjoy the Peanut Butter and Jam Concert Series on Thursdays, July 9 – Aug. 27. FREE 8. Meet you at the lake! Bring the sunscreen and a beach towel … we have FIVE beaches along Lake Michigan! FREE 9. Visit Wisconsin’s oldest Harley-Davidson dealership, and one of the oldest in the world! Uke’s Harley-Davidson shares 85 years of history in its museum. FREE 10. Come see what’s happening in Downtown Kenosha! Enjoy promotions, entertainment, and family activities during Second Saturdays. Many activities are FREE 11. Enjoy free cheese samples, along with free photo ops (i.e. giant outdoor sign, Isabella the 60-year-old cow, the giant mouse) at Mars’ Cheese Castle. FREE 12. Join King Elvis the First, the “Dancing Elvi” dancing grounds crew, oh yeah, and some baseball players as well at historic Simmons Field this summer! Go Kenosha Kingfish! June 28 is VisitKenosha Day at the ballpark. $8+ 13. The Civil War Museum is offering the 2015 Blue Star Museum Military Discount, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Active military and their families receive free admission to the main exhibit! FREE 14. Enjoy Tuesdays at the Shell, an outdoor concert series held in July and August at the Sesquicentennial Bandshell. FREE 15. Here’s where to go on a hot summer day: The indoor RecPlex Ice Arena.

Temperature on the ice is 40 to 45 degrees. $6.50 and less to skate, $3 skate rental 16. Add some spring to your step with a shopping spree at Pleasant Prairie Premium

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KENOSHA AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Our Town

The Kenosha Outdoor HarborMarket is on 2nd Avenue between 54th and 56th Street in Kenosha HarborPark, just behind the Kenosha Public Museum and the Civil War Museum. It is open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Outlets. Save even more when you pick up a coupon book. $5 coupon book / Get a coupon for a free coupon book here 17. Be amazed at an Aquanut Water Show.

FREE 18. Hike over the river and through the woods at Petrifying Springs Park - the oldest park in the Kenosha County park system. FREE

19. You can find more than 150 vendors at Kenosha HarborMarket during the summer!

The Saturday market returns outdoors on May 16; until then you can find it at Rhode Center for the Arts. FREE to browse 20. Enjoy Carthage College Family Fun Nights, held most Friday evenings during • see 101

things on page 14

Boaters take advantage of a quiet summer day to enjoy the Kenosha Harbor.

Our Town

Kenosha is a great place to visit if you’re looking for something unique to do and a wonderful place to live. Nestled up against Lake Michigan, midway between Milwaukee and Chicago, the City of Kenosha is easily accessible by Interstate 94 from either city.

Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin, with a population of about 100,000, and the fourth-largest city on Lake Michigan, coming after Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay. The city is a intriguing mix of old and new, with modern amenities like the airport and electric streetcars running the rails throughout the downtown area.

A hub of culture and art, the Kenosha Public Museum System includes the main Kenosha Public Museum, the Dinosaur

Discovery Museum in association with Carthage College and the Smithsonian, and the Kenosha Civil War Museum. The city also has the Kenosha History Center and Maritime Museum on Simmons Island, which has two lighthouses.

The outdoor Kenosha HarborMarket is open mid-May through mid-October on Second Avenue between 54th and 56th Streets. It features more than 100 stalls with vendors selling fresh produce, cheese and other local food products and handmade items. During the colder months, the HarborMarket moves indoors to the lobby of the Rhode Center of the Arts. It is not open in January and February.

There’s always something to do in Kenosha. Come and visit, we’ll leave the light on.

Inside

Our courthouse.......................... Page 4 Our government......................... Page 5 Our trains.................................... Page 7 Our museum............................... Page 9 Our airport................................Page 11 Our parks..................................Page 13 Our streetcars.......................Back Page

Kenosha, Wis.

OUR TOWN 2015

A publication of the Waterford Post and Southern Lakes Newspapers.

209 N. Dodge St., Burlington, WI 53185 (262) 763-3330 Editor: ............................................... Tracy Ouellette Editor in Chief: .............................. Edward Nadolski Creative Director: ................................ Sue Z. Lange Advertising Sales: ..............................Donna Brooks For advertising opportunities call (262) 763-3330.

On the cover

The Southport Lighthouse in Kenosha.

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

Check out what’s great about

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KENOSHA AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Our Town

(Earlene Frederick photo)

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History set in stone

SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Our Town

The Kenosha County Courthouse was completed in 1925 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in

1982. It remains a working courthouse located in Kenosha’s Civic Center Historic District.

Kenosha County Courthouse listed on National Register of Historic Places BY

Sandra Landen Machaj CORRESPONDENT

hroughout the Kenosha area are many buildings well known for being historically significant.

The Kenosha County Courthouse is one of these buildings that have a long history of importance for Kenosha County.

The area that today is the county was a favorite of Native Americans because of the fertile land and proximity to the Pike River and Lake Michigan. In the 1830s European immigrants began to make their way to this area from the East Coast, many of them traveling through the Great Lakes.

While most of the settlers stopped in the Chicago area, others continued to travel north and found the area that was

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

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to become Southeastern Wisconsin. Since many of the new settlers had been farmers in Europe, they – like the Indians who had lived on the land – were grateful for the fertile soil and the presence of wildlife and fish that could be used for food.

And so in these early days the primary commercial activity was agriculture. It was not until the late 1800s that industrial activity began to flourish in the area. The cities and towns of the community began to organize and growth continued.

What today is recognized as Kenosha County was actually a part of Racine County. It was not until 1850 that a decision was made to separate the area that bordered on the Illinois state line to the south, the lakefront on the east, Walworth County to the west and the northern edges of the City of Kenosha to the north. The county seat chosen

was the City of Kenosha, which had just recently changed its name from Southport to Kenosha. The new county chose to take the name of its county seat and thus Kenosha County was born.

Kenosha County built its first courthouse in 1850 but this building was only sufficient to serve the needs of the county for 20 years. A new courthouse was built in 1870. This building was also not suited for the pending growth of the county and within 15 years the need for a larger courthouse caused the community to build its third courthouse in less than 50 years.

‘Father’ of planning Harland Bartholomew was an American Urban Planner who became known as the “Father of American city planning in the age of the automobile. He began to design and redesign cities following the principles

OUR government COUNTY EXECUTIVE Jim Kreuser Administrative Building 1010 56th Street Kenosha, WI 53140-3738 (262) 653-2600 CLERK Mary T. Schuch-Krebs 1010 56th St. Kenosha, WI 53140 (262) 653-2552 TREASURER Teri Jacobson (262) 653–2542 COURTS Clerk of Courts Rebecca Matoska-Mentink Kenosha County Courthouse 912 56th St. Kenosha, WI 53140

of the City Beautiful Movement.

The City Beautiful Movement, inspired by the World’s Columbian Exhibition in 1893 with its great White City, began to flourish throughout the country in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

Bartholomew’s plan to redesign the City of Kenosha using principles of the City Beautiful Movement coincided with the need for a new courthouse. Land was selected by the Kenosha Board of Supervisors in 1922 as a site that would work with the beautification of the city.

Construction began in 1922 with the building being completed in 1925. The buildings consisted of the three-story courthouse with a three-story jail behind it.

The building was built in the neoclassical style, which was in the early 1900s. Joseph Lindl, Albert Lesser and Charles Schutte were the architects who designed the building. It is faced with gray Indiana limestone in an ashlar motif, meaning the building stone has been squared and finished to give the structure a very neat look. This building included a raised basement. A cornice decorates the building above the first floor.

The main façade of the second and third floors contains a colonnade of 18 freestanding iconic columns. Located between the columns are two-story windows except for over the main entrance to the building. In this area there is a

(262) 653-2664 (262) 653-2435 – Records (262) 653-2753 – Family (262) 653-2673 – Probate JUDGES Branch 1 Branch 2 Branch 3 Branch 4 Branch 5 Branch 6 Branch 7 Branch 8

David M. Bastianelli Jason A. Rossell Bruce E. Schroeder Anthony Milisauskas David P. Will Mary Wagner S. Michael Will Chad G. Kerkman

DISTRICT ATTORNEY Robert D. Zapf Molinaro Bldg.

(262) 653-2400 HUMAN SERVICES Kenosha Department of Human Services 8600 Sheridan Road, Suite 100 (262) 697-4500 AGING & DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER

8600 Sheridan Road, Suite 500 (262) 605-6646 Toll Free (800) 472-8008 PUBLIC WORKS Kenosha County Center 19600 75th St., Suite 122-1 Bristol (262) 857-1870 DPW Assistant – Wendy Epping (262) 857-1858 Chief Financial Officer – Jiim Kupfer (262) 857-1871 Division of Facilities Engineering Projects Manager Frank Martinelli (262) 857-1863 Manager – Facilities Maintenance Michael Schrandt, Michael (262) 653-2548 Division of Golf General Manager of Golf Operations Daniel Drier (262) 857-1865 • see Government on page 6

SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Our Town

This is a postcard of the third building that served as a courthouse for Kenosha County. Built in 1885, it was replaced with the current courthouse in 1925.

recessed balcony with windows that have a rounded arch and a balustrade.

The National Park Service maintains a listing of buildings that have been registered as having historical significance.

On March 9, 1982, this building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

For more information about the Kenosha County government and offices, visit www.co.kenosha.wi.us.

In 1989 when the Civic Center Historic District was established, the courthouse and jail were listed as contributing properties.

The courthouse is at 912 56th Street.

Since 1925 the business of Kenosha County has been conducted in the historic building.

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Copsicles for a cause

EARLENE FREDERICK Our Town

Above: Members of the “Super Plungers” dive into a frigid pool during the annual Polar Plunge for the benefit of Special Olympics Feb. 7 at the Brat Stop in Kenosha. At left: members of the “Kenosha County Copsicles” make a unified entrance.

• Government from page 5

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KENOSHA OUR TOWN

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Riding our rails

From 1855, trains have provided service from Chicago to Kenosha BY

Sandra Landen Machaj CORRESPONDENT

rior to the mid 1800s, transportation across the United States was accomplished by two basic means – horse and boat.

Immigrants to the Midwest often took the water route through the Great Lakes from New England. From there they would travel by horseback or horsedrawn wagons onward to their western destination. Those hoping to travel in a more southerly direction often traveled overland in horse and wagons as we have seen in many movies depicting the wagon trains.

In the mid 1800s, the rails made their way across the nation and in 1855 the trains reached Kenosha. In that year, the train first arrived in Kenosha when the predecessors of the Chicago and North Western railroad, then known as the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad, and the Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago Railroad joined just south of present day 52nd Street.

The train station in Kenosha was originally opened by the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad in 1855. By 1881 the line became the Chicago & North Western Railroad, which continued to manage the station. Intercity travel continued through the station until 1971 when the last intercity passenger train stopped there.

The Chicago & North Western Railroad continued to provide commuter service to Chicago but train service from Kenosha to Milwaukee vanished.

The Amtrak Hiawatha, which provided service from Chicago to Milwaukee,

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SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Our Town

ceased to stop at the Kenosha station.

Today the Amtrak train to Milwaukee stops in Sturtevant. According to some of the riders from Kenosha, there is no easy way to get to Sturtevant by public transportation.

In 1984 Metra took over the commuter services for the Chicago area. The North Line was scheduled to end at Waukegan, the last stop in Illinois. Because of the many riders were from Kenosha, the line was allowed to continue to service Kenosha, thus making it the only Metra stop located in Wisconsin.

In 1995 the Chicago and Northwestern line was absorbed into Metra and service

was continued but at this time it was provided by the Union Pacific Railroad.

While the majority of the trains on the North line terminate in Waukegan, nine inbound and nine outbound trains travel to Kenosha each weekday.

Many residents of Kenosha are commuters to Chicago where they are employed. Other residents of Kenosha hop the train to go to Chicago for a day of shopping, lunch or the theater. By the same token, Chicagoans take the train from Ogilvie Station in Chicago to Kenosha to spend a day enjoying • see Trains on page 8

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

The Kenosha Train Station was first opened in 1855. It has been a stop for both traditional passenger trains and commuter trains from 1866 but today is a Metra station with only commuter trains stopping there.

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• Trains from page 7 the museums and lakefront activities such as a stroll through Harbor Park in the days of summer.

Although the train station was built in 1855 it has undergone a rebuilding from 2004 to 2006. There have been attempts to have food service in the train station for the convenience of passengers but to date none has been successful. A new restaurant geared to children is planned to open in the station in the near future.

It is surprising that the station does not have a ticket office where passengers may purchase their tickets for the trip.

Because the station is located outside the Metra service area, it is partially subsidized by the City of Kenosha.

In Kenosha, it is not unusual to see one of the electric streetcars or trolleys as they are often called, pull up in front of the station. The electric streetcars provide transportation through Harbor Park, two of the historic districts and the business district.

The train station is at 5414 13th Avenue. For information about parking, call (262) 653-4287. Complete train schedules can be found on the Metrarail.com website. Modified weekend schedules are available. Weekday schedules from Kenosha to Chicago begin at 5:51 a.m. with the last train leaving at 11:35 p.m. Bicycles are allowed on some trains. Trains from Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago leave for Kenosha beginning at 6:33 a.m. with the last train leaving the station at 12:35 a.m.

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This tile mosaic of a train conductor greets oncoming passengers as they enter the tunnel to travel to the platform and enter the train.

The Kenosha Public Museum is both a natural sciences and fine and decorative arts museum established in 1933. It has a varied collection of more than 80,000 items for the perusal of visitors.

Our museum

SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Our Town

Where the discoveries are mammoth Sandra Landen Machaj CORRESPONDENT

tanding 10 to 12 feet tall at its shoulders and weighing six to eight tons, this gigantic prehistoric animal is best described by its name – mammoth.

This giant of an animal at one time roamed freely throughout the area. Today, however, we are left with just its skeleton on display at the Kenosha Public Museum.

The Schaefer and Hebior mammoth exhibit is the centerpiece of the first floor exhibit.

The story of the finding of the mammoth’s bones began in 1964 when a local farmer, Frank Schaefer, hired out some work to be completed on his property. The contractor, who was excavating the area to place a drainage ditch through the field, struck a very hard substance, which later was identified as a wooly mammoth’s femur.

Tusk fragments were also uncovered.

An amateur archeologist drew a detailed map of the site thinking that sometime in the future the site of this bone’s discovery might be important and how right he was.

Schaefer donated the bones to the Kenosha Public Museum.

Fast-forward 27 years to 1991. Dan Joyce, the museum’s director, and an

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archeologist named David Wasion using the map that had been drawn in 1964 began with a group of volunteers to search for more bones. Eighteen months later they had uncovered 80 percent of the skeleton.

Another valuable find

But this was not to be the extent of their discoveries. While excavating the Schaefer mammoth, a neighbor, John Hebior shared a large bone that he had uncovered on his property many years prior. It too was identified as a mammoth bone.

So one year after the completion of the Schaefer mammoth excavation, Wasion teamed up with archaeologist Dr. David Overstreet to begin the work of locating the Hebior Mammoth. They were successful in locating 90 percent of the mammoth’s bones, making it the most complete Mammoth skeleton ever excavated.

Much was learned about these mammoths that changed the thinking of many of the archeologists. While the Hebior mammoth is the most complete wooly mammoth ever excavated, it is also the largest one ever recovered.

Carbon testing revealed the bones were older than the 10,000 to 12,000 years old they were thought to be and in actuality were 14,500 years old. The Schaefer and Hebior sites are two of the three oldest archaeological sites in the Western

Hemisphere.

Unique to these skeletons is the fact that the bones were not found intact but had been separated from each other and contained cut marks. Rudimentary stone tools were also located in the dig area. This led to the conclusion that these mammoths were actually butchered by humans, thus proving that humans were in the area much earlier than previously thought.

A museum visit

Viewing the mammoth is the highlight of a visit to the exhibition. But before arriving at the mammoth, visitors begin by entering a softly lit tunnel that travels through time thousands of years to when this area of Wisconsin was a glacier.

The tunnel transports visitors to a display of the first people to arrive in the area following the end of the last glacial period. That time is thought to be around 14,500 years ago. Life-size statues of these early people depicting scenes of their lives in these early days begin to appear. The walk through the displays of the village covers all four seasons of the year in a North American village.

It is believed that those who made their way to this area were groups of related families. They were hunters and gatherers • see Museum on page 10

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

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• Museum from page 9 The Hebior mammoth was the most complete mammoth ever uncovered with 90 percent of its bones found.

Carbon dating established that the bones are from 14,500 years ago.

SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Our Town

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who used the natural resources of the area to supply their need for food, shelter, and clothing. They were a nomadic group and would move on usually leaving no evidence of their time spent in the area.

It was these early people with only rudimentary weapons – even bows and arrows had not been designed at this time – that were able to kill a six-ton animal with just a spear. They would spear the mammoth and then wait for it to die before they began the arduous task of butchering it.

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

More to see

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While this exhibit takes up much of the first floor, it is not all that there is to see and do at the museum. Also located on the first floor is the Field Station where children receive hands on experience in art. Call for the schedule of classes that are held here.

The second floor contains an ever-changing art exhibit and the collection of Peter Bianchi’s work with National Geographic Magazine.

Located in Harbor Park on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Kenosha Public Museum guides visitors through time as it presents a historical look at the development of the area from prehistoric times to the discoveries of the last century.

The Kenosha Public Museum was founded in 1933 and opened to the public in 1936. It made its home in a renovated post office building located at 5608 10th Avenue for 65 years. In 2001 the museum moved to its new home next door to the Civil War Museum. As the Kenosha Public Museum made its home on the lakefront, the older building on 10th avenue became the home of the Dinosaur Museum.

The Kenosha Public Museum is at 5500 1st Avenue, Kenosha.

Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. It can be reached by phone at (262) 653-5140 or on the web www.kenosha.org/wp-museum.

Flying the friendly skies of Kenosha Our airport serves a variety of needs BY

Sandra Landen Machaj CORRESPONDENT

itting on a Boeing 737 aircraft, flying along at 41,000 feet amid the blue sky, puffy clouds, and bright sunshine certainly gives a person pause to think about the progress aviation has made over the last century.

Today’s airplanes holding 300 or more passengers and traveling at 500 mph are a far cry from the original planes flown by the Wright brothers and other early pilots.

In 1903 when Wilber and Orville flew in Kitty Hawk, there was no strong belief that airplanes could really fly and would become one of the most popular modes of travel, taking passengers from city to city, state to state, country to country, often replacing trains, automobiles, and ships as the means of transportation.

Even advanced aircraft would take some of us to the moon. But here we are today with every major city being home to at least one airport. Even some small cities have airports.

This newspaper has featured the automobiles built in Kenosha and the trains that provide transportation from Chicago and Milwaukee to Kenosha.

Today the topic is the history of air travel in the area.

According to Cynthia Nelson, Curator and Archivist of the Kenosha History Center, the first attempt at an airport in Kenosha occurred as a private project in August 1911. Then, by 1928, three local residents planned for their own private airport. Using a local pasture, they began to map out their airport. The site was at 22nd Avenue south of 75th Street.

They planned to establish an airfield and hangar for commercial use.

The current Kenosha airport opened in May 1959 at 9900 52nd Street, just east of Interstate 94. The airport is owned and managed by the City of Kenosha. While the airport does not provide scheduled passenger service, many other services are available at the site.

The airport has three runways the

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SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Our Town

smallest being 3,302 feet long and the largest 5,449 feet long. The largest airplane that can be landed at this site is a 30-passenger corporate jet. The airport is an air-traffic-controlled general aviation facility, The airport is an important part of the Kenosha economy. Private jets provide easy access to the area and those with business ties to Kenosha find flying their private jets in and out of the airport to be a time saver. There is no need to travel to Milwaukee to catch a scheduled flight.

The airport consists of several

buildings and hanger facilities where many privately owned or corporate planes make their home when in the Kenosha area. Kenosha-based companies often use their private aircraft to visit their branch facilities in other areas of the country. Hanger space is available for lease and some for purchase.

For those looking to take flight lessons, there are several businesses on the grounds that offer this service.

Gateway Aviation, Midwestern Helicopter, and Lakeshore Helicopter • see Airport on page 12

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

The Kenosha Regional Airport is owned and operated by the City of Kenosha.

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• Airport from page 11

SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Our Town

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KENOSHA OUR TOWN

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This vintage Mercy Air medical transport plane is on display at the Kenosha Regional Airport. While commercially scheduled passenger planes are not available here, the airport has seen more than 60,000 takeoffs and landings per year recently.

each offer flight lessons based at the airport, according to the City of Kenosha.

The airport offers many services in addition to pilot instruction and hanger rental. These include airfreight and cargo handling, charter services, aircraft rental and aircraft sales.

According to the City of Kenosha website the following businesses are located at the airport: AVP Kenosha Aviation, Aviation Plus, LLC, Gateway Technical College, Kenosha Aero Inc, Lakeshore Helicopter, Midwestern Helicopter Stick and Rudder, and Sunshine Aircraft.

There is also a site available on the northwest corner of 52nd Street and 104th Avenue for a restaurant. This site is located next to both the Business Park of Kenosha and the airport.

Although there is no scheduled passenger service from the Kenosha airport, it is still a relatively busy airport. In 2013 there were 60,437 takeoffs and landings here. Approximately 95 percent of these flights are general aviation with a small portion being military use.

The airport continues to support its mission statement: “Providing a modern airport facility offering a variety of services for the airport users.”

For more information about the Kenosha Airport contact the Director Wayde Buck, 9900 52nd Street, Kenosha, or by telephone at (262) 653-4160. He can be reached by e-mail at airport@Kenosha.org. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

OUR parks Brighton Dale Park and Golf Course Brighton Dale Park and Golf Course is just north of the intersection of Highways 75 and 142, (14 miles from the City of Kenosha), adjacent to the Bong State Recreation Area.

The 500-acre park features a 45-hole championship golf course and driving range. Also offers beautiful wooded picnic areas, children’s playground equipment, grills, restrooms, shelter buildings, ball diamonds, nature trails, and a fishing pond.

Restrooms are located in Areas 1 and 3, and the ball fields.

Bristol Woods Park Bristol Woods Park is south of Highway C on Highway MB. The 200-acre park is the most natural of all the Kenosha County Parks and boasts 4.28 miles of hiking trails as well as a playground, grills and shelter building.

Bristol Woods is also home to the Pringle Nature Center. To learn more about the history of the PNC, view Pringle Nature Center: Putting People in Touch with Nature since 1998.

Restrooms are located in Area 1 and Pringle Nature Center.

Fox River Park Fox River Park is off Highway F, just east of Highway W. The 150-acre park is home to wooded

areas, picnic areas, and playground equipment, tennis courts and ball diamonds.

The quiet waters of the Fox River meander along the eastern boundary of the park and are accessible to boaters and canoers (launching area provided along Highway F at the bridge).

A special attraction during the winter is a bermed sled slide, which provides a long and exhilarating run (weather permitting). Artificial lighting allows night use of this popular sledding facility.

Also, home to a no fee, 9-hole disc golf course. Fox River Park is home to Ray Berres Field ball diamond.

There are also two outdoor chess tables at Fox River Park located by the Fox River on north side of Highway F. These are free to the general public, but players need to bring their own pieces.

Restrooms are located in Areas 1 and 3.

KD Park KD Park is along Highway KD south of Highway 50 in Randall and Wheatland, the KD Park, a former gravel quarry, encompasses 234 acres of land and a 39-acre lake.

For safety purposes, specific lake use restrictions and guidelines are being developed by the county and will be posted at the park. This park is being developed with an emphasis on sustainable living education and recreation.

Hunting permits to hunt at KD West are available from the Park Division.

Park includes a dog park, hiking trails, picnic tables, fishing, cross country skiing, and show shoeing.

Old Settlers Park

Silver Lake Park

The smallest county park at 17 acres, Old Settlers Park is always a hit with the summer beach crowd. The park provides shaded picnic and lawn areas overlooking Paddock Lake, sandy beaches, shelter building, dog park, bathhouse and restroom facilities, grills, playground equipment and ample parking.

Old Settlers Park, on Highway 50, seven miles west of Interstate 94, is also home to Spencer Field, a little league ball diamond.

Entry fee charged from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend when lifeguards are on duty.

The 260-acre Silver Lake Park features one of the best sandy beaches in southeastern Wisconsin.

Swimming areas, picnic areas, bathhouse, concession stand, picnic shelters, lakeside playground equipment, soccer fields, grills, windsurfing area, sledding, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, fishing and convenient parking all combine to create a popular getaway on summer days.

Nature trails traverse the rolling landscape and reward hikers with a sweeping overview of Silver Lake and the surrounding countryside.

The park is on Highway F, one-mile south from Highway 50.

Restrooms are located in Areas 1, 4 and 6.

Petrifying Springs Park Petrifying Springs Park, on Highway A, just east of Highway 31, is the flagship of the Kenosha County Parks System. Known to locals as “Pets,” the park is the oldest in the system and offers a wide range of enjoyment for people of all ages throughout the year.

The rolling landscape adds beauty as well as challenge to its 18-hole golf course. Picnic areas feature five picnic shelters, restrooms and playground areas, softball diamonds, nature trails, sand volleyball courts.

Home to one of the state’s natural hardwood forests, the fall color in both the park and on the golf course is breathtaking.

There are also two outdoor chess tables at Petrifying Springs Park: one by Parking Area 1 by the well, and another at Parking Area 4 by the river. These are free to the general public, but players need to bring their own pieces.

Restrooms are located near Areas 2, 4 and 5.

Kemper Center – Anderson Arts Center The Kemper Center and Anderson Arts Center is a cultural and recreational facility along the shores of Lake Michigan.

The 15 acres offer picturesque old buildings (circa 1800), floral landscaping, along with a beautiful scenic setting overlooking Lake Michigan.

Frequently the site of lawn concerts, art exhibits, retreats and weddings, the Center also offers picnic tables and a fishing pier with special accommodations to the handicapped. The Center is at 6501 – 3rd Avenue, Kenosha.

For events or rentals at this location, visit the Kemper Center website at www.kempercenter.com, or call (262) 657-6005.

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

The Kenosha County Parks System has something for everyone. For more information or to reserve park space, visit. www. co.kenosha.wi.us,

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the school year. FREE to $1 21. Go behind the scenes into artists’ studios during the get bEHIND the aRTS Studio Tour, April 24-26. FREE preview party April 24, $5 studio tour April 25-26 22. The Kenosha Pops Concert Band has been entertaining Kenosha for more than 90 years. Join them Wednesday evenings, June 17 – August 5 at the Sesquicentennial Bandshell.

FREE 22. Stroll through the Kenosha Sculpture Walk along the harbor; watch for the exhibit to change in September. FREE 24. The 2014-15 season of the Fine Arts at First Concert Series has two remaining dates: March 29 and May 3. FREE 25. Pick your own produce at Jerry Smith Produce and Pumpkin Farm, or reserve your crop box full of produce! Crop boxes start at $10 / half bushel of pick your own is $10 26. Swim in Lake Andrea, or PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KENOSHA AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Our Town The Dinosaur Discovery Museum is a City of Kenosha build a sand castle on the beach. museum. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 5 Lifeguards are on duty in the p.m. Visit www.kenosha.org/wp-dinosaur for more informa- summer. $4-7 daily pass 27. Be part of the second annual tion and to check on current programs.

Kenosha Craft Beer Week at PUBLIC Craft Brewing Co. and Rustic Road Brewing Company, May 11-17. Prices vary 28. Date Night! Enjoy the Lakeside Players L@tR Series: Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, May 1530. $10 29. The Summer Free Fishing Weekend – meaning no fishing license is required in Wisconsin – is June 6 and 7. FREE 30. Spend Saturday night at the racetrack! On select dates, Wilmot Raceway offers Family Nights, which are a bargain! $10 and less 31. Choo Choo! The Kenosha Public Museum and Civil War Museum host a Train Extravaganza Weekend, May 30-31. FREE 32. We enjoy Big Star Drive-In and The Spot Drive-In whether it’s National Hamburger Month in May or any other time. The Spot is celebrating its 70th 542 Washington St., Waukegan, IL 60085 anniversary. Prices vary 847-662-2277 33. Enjoy a self-guided tour through Kemper Center’s www.Lilac-Ledge.com Durkee Mansion, which was built in the 1860’s on the Lake Michigan shore. FREE EQUAL HOUSING 34. Go Fly a Kite! The Outta EMPLOYER Sight Kite Flight is June 6 and 14

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7. FREE 35. Brighton Dale Links at Petrifying Springs Golf Course and Brighton Dale Links, walk 9 holes weekdays any time for $10, opening day through May 1. And all season long during super twilight hours, walk 9 holes for that same price. $10 36. The Rebels and Redcoats Revolutionary War Reenactment moves to a new location this year: Petrifying Springs Park.

The dates are June 6 and 7.

FREE 37. Enjoy a trio of art fairs: Good Old Summertime Art Fair on June 7, 25th Annual UW-Parkside Summer Arts and Crafts Festival on June 27, and the Friends of the Museum Art Fair on July 19. FREE to browse 38. Living history interpreters, music, family activities and more can be found at Salute to Freedom on June 13. FREE 39. Get back to nature at Chiwaukee Prairie, which is considered an ecological gem.

FREE 40. June is National Dairy Month, and on June 20, the Kenosha County Dairy Breakfast returns to Herda Farms LLC. $6 adults, children 6 and younger are FREE 41. Walk, bike, or drive through Kenosha’s four National Register Historic Districts.

FREE 42. The Transparent Watercolor Society of America presents the 39th Annual National Juried Exhibition at the Kenosha Public Museum, May 2 – August 2. FREE 43. Stop to see live animals and hands-on exhibits inside Richard Bong State Recreation Area’s Visitor Center, then head out birding. $7-10 per vehicle park entrance fee, Center is FREE 44. Kenosha starts celebrating Independence Day early! Enjoy the Kenosha Civic Veterans Parade on June 28. FREE 45. Celebrate America featuring Independence Day Fireworks takes place in HarborPark July 3 and 4. FREE 46. At the new Downtown restaurant Mike’s Donuts and Chicken, oversized donuts are baked fresh daily with homemade toppings and fillings. $1-3 47. Splish! Splash! Fly

63. Head over to Pollard Gallery and spot portraits of celebrities. FREE 64. Pause at the Veteran’s Memorial Fountain and Lone Soldier Memorial at Veterans Memorial Park. FREE 65. Enjoy a program at a Kenosha Public Library branch. FREE 66. Military discounts are available at Sandy’s Popper, Scoops Ice Cream, and many more Kenosha businesses. See a list here. Prices vary 67. Local chef demonstrations, home grown sweet corn, hay rides, and more make up the Sweet Corn Festival, held rain or shine at Jerry Smith Produce and Pumpkin Farm on August 15. FREE admission 68. Visit Abe! Library Park is home to an Abraham Lincoln statue, as well as the Kenosha County Soldiers’ Monument “Winged Victory”. FREE 69. Aspiring young paleontologists will dig this: Dino Digs are held most Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum. FREE 70. Check out the impressive 360° film “Seeing the Elephant” inside the Civil War Museum’s main exhibit The Fiery Trial. Main exhibit $5-9 / FREE for ages 15 and less 71. Visit the Christopher Columbus fountain in HarborPark. FREE 72. All ages enjoy getting artsy at Alpaca Art Pottery Painting. $7 studio fee plus the cost of your pottery ($3+) 73. Relax and watch the sun rise over Lake Michigan. FREE 74. Cool down with a treat at Culver’s Pleasant Prairie, while playing the large outdoor chess set (ask for the pieces at the counter). Treat prices vary; FREE to play chess 75. At Pringle Nature Center, you can rent a GPS unit pre-programmed with the Geocaches located in Bristol Woods Park. $5 76. Find your favorite childhood video game at Inner Child Comics and Collectibles and try it out! Many less $10, FREE to try 77. Only planning to fish here for a day? Buy a one-day fishing license at Harborside Bait and Tackle or Lou Perrine’s Gas and Grocery. $8-10 78. Try the Sol Gyro at Sol D’Licious Café: Setain marinated in the house Greek seasoning topped with the house Tzatziki sauce and paired with the side of the day. $10 79. Enjoy a scenic bike ride on the Pike Bike Trail or the Kenosha County Bike Trail. FREE 80. Let the kids cool off with a visit to HarborPark’s splash pad area. FREE 81. Uncover local shipwreck facts and more at the Southport Light Station Museum. FREE; donations appreciated

82. Make your own customized bracelet or necklace at Peacetree Originals. $5 and up 83. Learn about birds, check out insect specimens, make art on the wall, and more at the Kenosha Public Museum Field Station. FREE 84. Mama Mia! Italian sausage never tasted so good! Tenuta’s outdoor grill will have your mouth watering. $3.50 85. See the latest blockbuster at Southport Plaza’s Tinseltown Theatre. $5.65-$9.15 86. Take your bike and follow the milelong Silver Lake Ice House Trail. $1 if access the trail at Silver Lake Beach, Memorial Day – Labor Day 87. Visit the 95th Kenosha County Fair, Aug. 19-23. $9 or less 88. Browse through the Wilmot Mountain Flea Market (Sundays, April 12 into November). $1 and less 89. Another great photo op: one of Kenosha’s most recognized landmarks – the red Pierhead Lighthouse. FREE 90. Come see what’s cooking on the grill! The Grill Games BBQ Competition and Lakefront Festival takes place Aug. 28 and 29. Suggested $1 donation 91. Grill GamesEnjoy an Old-Fashioned Cherry Soda at Jack’s Café – the historic soda fountain inside Andrea’s. $3.95 92. Enjoy a trio of events Labor Day weekend near Lake Michigan: Downtown Kenosha Classic Cruise-In Car Show (Sept. 5), Cheese-A-Palooza (Sept. 5-6), and the 13th annual Car Show To Benefit Our Wounded Warriors (Sept. 6). FREE 93. Celebrate Kenosha’s Streetcars on Sept. 12 during Kenosha Streetcar Day. $1 or less to ride Streetcar 94. A slice of Kenosha nightlife can be found at Fusion, a Downtown performing arts venue. Some events FREE 95. Visiting the First Friday of the month? Stop at our I-94 Visitor Information Center for free travel info, coupons, and samples during First Friday events. FREE 96. People watch as you sit at the harbor!

You may even see someone flying like a superhero with Flyboard Wisconsin.

FREE to watch 97. See incredible art at Lemon Street Gallery! FREE 98. Try the Kanelbulle, a Swedish pretzel-esque cinnamon pastry at Linnea Bakery, a Scandinavian bakery. $2.99 99. Enjoy a picnic at Wolfenbuttel Park, next to Lake Michigan. FREE 100. The famous “backroom” offers amazing savings at the Jockey Factory Store in Downtown Kenosha. Prices vary 101. Meet notable cartoonists and illustrators at the fifth Kenosha Festival of Cartooning, Sept. 17-19. FREE

KENOSHA OUR TOWN

down the 200-foot long water slide at Washington Park Pool or Anderson Park Pool. $5 or less 48. Enjoy some real “eye candy” at Jelly Belly Visitor Center including portraits of famous people made from thousands of Jelly Belly beans and Candy Fashion Couture. FREE tours and samples 49. Who’s Hungry? The seventh annual Taste of Wisconsin™ takes place July 31 – Aug. 2. FREE admission 50. Go back to the 1650s through 1850s at the Pike River Rendezvous, August 1 and 2. FREE 51. Take the kids for a fun pedal boat ride on Lake Andrea! $8-10 52. Lake MichiganCelebrate National Lighthouse Day at the Triple Dipper Ice Cream Social on Aug. 8. FREE lighthouse climb for Kenosha County residents, $5 for non-county adult visitors, FREE for children 8 to 12 years old 53. Here in Kenosha, you’ll find multiple access points on the Lake Michigan State Water Trail for kayaking, paddleboarding and other silent water sports.

FREE access 54. Did you know Anderson Park is home to an 11,000 square foot concrete skatepark for skateboards, scooters, roller blades, and bikes? FREE 55. Checkmate! Play chess or checkers at the chess tables in Petrifying Springs Park and Fox River Park; bring your own pieces. FREE 56. Car memorabilia, along with a new Children’s Hands On area are featured at the Kenosha History Center through Sept. 27. FREE; donations appreciated 57. Walk, bike, run, or rollerblade along Prairie Springs Park’s 2.3 mile scenic path around Lake Andrea. Extend your workout on the Prairie Farms Trail.

FREE 58. Sit back and enjoy the scenery as you take the METRA train from Chicago to Kenosha. $8 weekend pass 59. Visit Robin’s Nest Cakery on a Saturday for chocolate fountain treats!

Pricing is for six items - such as bacon, gummy bears, pretzels, chips, or oreos. $3.50 60. While May is National Bike Month, you can join the 26-mile Weekly Common Grounds Coffee Ride at any time. The Bike Shop at Southport Rigging leads this Saturday morning ride. FREE 61. Between May and September, Bristol 45 Diner hosts a car show on the first, third, and fifth Monday evenings. FREE 62. Don’t miss fresh from the farm produce at one of Kenosha’s five Farmer’s Markets (in addition to Kenosha HarborMarket). FREE to browse

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The Pittsburgh trolley runs through the City of Kenosha. The restored electric streetcars travel a 2-mile loop, providing a scenic tour of the Lake Michigan shoreline, HarborPark, two historic districts, downtown business district and the METRA train station.

Stops include the McCarthy Transit Center, 8th Ave. and 54th St. Go to www. visitkenosha.com for more information.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KENOSHA AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Our Town