As the story goes: one day in early 1967 Ted Schwoch Jr. and Bill Pinter met at the Dorchester State Bank while they were doing their regular weekly bank business. While conversing on the bank’s front steps about the weather and other important daily doings; Ted looked over at the small, dark, dreary park with the rotting band stand and said; you know Bill, I think we can do better than that. That became the battle cry for the next three years and will you look at the Dorchester Park and Dorchester Lake today. Wow - what an achievement. Without a doubt - the Dorchester Park and Lake are Dorchester’s greatest assets. What started out as a conversation on the steps of the Dorchester State Bank turned into a challenging undertaking and an accomplishment that turned Dorchester into a Tri-County phenomena.
The first official notice of this undertaking occurred with the printing of The Dorchester Clarion on September 7, 1967 and which read as follows:
September 7, 1967 — Plans For Recreation Area Discussed Here Wednesday
Bill Ludwig of Neillsville met Wednesday afternoon with eight local residents to report findings of a survey for a possible recreational area in the village. Ludwig with the U. S. Department of Agriculture in this area, brought to the meeting a contour sketch of the area prepared from a survey made here recently.
The area under consideration is within the limits roughly bounded by Linden Street from the creek to Center Avenue; Center Avenue east to include the draw which drains the area to the north and then south along a line just west of the Sebold Minkery and west back to the place of beginning. The survey and consultation services of Ludwig are provided by the agriculture department at no cost to the village. The project is under consideration as a part of the Poplar River Watershed Project. In this connection, a planning committee will meet with village representatives in early October to discuss further plans for the area. It is thought both federal and state funds are available to help pay costs of impounding a lake of from three to seven acres in the area.
The mechanics of building a dam, dredging to required depth and other construction facts were explained by Ludwig Wednesday.
October 12, 1967 ---- Recreation Area Plans Discussed At Meeting
Representatives of the several organizations concerned with development of the proposed recreation area in the village met in Municipal Hall Friday night. Plans for the area were discussed as was the procedure for making formal application of government funds to assist with the cost of the project.
Attending the meeting were Ted Schwoch Jr., Alvin Meyer, Adolph Gorke and James Maurina, representing the village; George Greaser, Gerald Baker and James Geiger from the Fire dept.; Kenneth Marcott, Richard Hunsader and W.C. Pinter for the Lions Club; Otto Genrich and William Jantsch of the American legion.
John Schafgen of Chippewa Falls represented R.C. Greaves & Associates, Landscape architects, at the meeting. He explained the requirements and procedure for making formal application for government funds. Prominent among requirements is an accurate estimate of total cost based on the sum of costs for the several phases of construction. Schafgen will assist in making the application. Decision on granting of funds will be made by federal and state agencies concerned on the basis of information contained in the formal application.
January 18, 1968 — Set Meetings To Discuss Village Recreation Project
The public is invited to sit in on a meeting here Monday night which will discuss the recreational lake project in the village. The village park committee and representative committees from the Fire Department, Lions Club and American legion will meet to discuss the recreational project and to prepare for a meeting in Neillsville Thursday.
Monday’s meeting will be in Municipal Hall here beginning at 8:00 p.m.
Village President Ted Schwoch Jr. urged all interested persons to attend and become acquainted with progress thus far on the project. He said a large delegation is desired to attend Thursday’s meeting which will have a direct bearing on the project.
The project has been approved for assistance under the ASC program of Clark County. However, more financial and technical assistance is necessary to the success of the venture, spokesmen said today. Hence the importance of next week’s meetings. They emphasized that Monday night’s meeting will provide much information on the project and demonstrate the need for community support.
George Zuehlke, chairman of the Clark County Soil and Water Conservation Commission, arranged the Thursday meeting with officials of the state agency concerned to consider the local project for state and federal assistance, both technical and financial.
The meeting will be in the court house in Neillsville Jan. 25 at 10:00 o’clock in the morning. Schwoch, speaking for all interested in seeing the project become a reality, urged everyone who can to attend the meeting.
ASC engineers from Eau Claire were here Dec. 22 and again surveyed the location, which was originally surveyed last August in the preliminary planning stages.
January 25, 1968 — Recreation Project Considered At Neillsville Meeting
A delegation of Dorchester residents attended a meeting in Neillsville today which discussed and considered for aid for the proposed recreation project in the village. The outcome of the meeting is important to the project from both financial and technical standpoints. It is approved for aid now by the ASC, but funds thus available are inadequate for needs.
Another meeting on the project will be held in the court house at Neillsville next Tuesday, Jan. 30. It is set for 1 p.m. and as many local residents as possibly can are urged to attend. Senator Gaylord Nelson is expected to be at that meeting.
The status of and progress thus far accomplished on, the project were detailed at a meeting in Municipal hall here Monday night. About 20 attended this meeting.
Ted Schwoch Jr., village president, and member of a committee promoting the project, outlined plans and reported on progress Monday night. His report reflected optimism of the committee for the future of the project. An option has been taken on 45 acres owned by Rudy Ortlieb and purchase depends greatly on outcome of the current meetings.
Plans call for a lake of about 15 acres in the northwest corner of the 45 acres in the area; bounded on the north by Center Avenue and on the west by the Soo Line right-of-way. The lake will be deep enough for fish and on its shore are planned beach, picnic area, bathhouses, kids area, camping sites, toilet facilities, residential area and others. R.C. Greaves and Associates is working on an overall plan now to include a complete recreation area and facilities.
February 1, 1968 — Recreation Project Gets State Approval
The Dorchester recreation and lake project received approval for support from the state agency concerned on Tuesday of this week. The go-ahead was given following a morning meeting with D.R. Tyler of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (conservation department) and the Dorchester committee comprised of Ted Schwoch Jr., Kenneth Marcott and W.C. Pinter. At that meeting a comprehensive picture of plans for the recreation area was presented and displayed for Tyler and the project was discussed for a couple of hours.
State approval is conditional upon correction of some existing external conditions, which the committee feels present no problem. Also necessary is a comprehensive site plan and estimated cost analysis, which needs to be filed by March 1. The plan will need to show what is to be included in construction, immediate and future; where it will be located on the site and the estimated cost.
The project committee said it welcomes suggestions to be incorporated into the plan. Interested persons are asked to make their suggestions immediately, since deadline for filing the plan is only a month away. Between 15 and 20 persons from here last Thursday attended a meeting in Neillsville which considered the local project and another (Cunningham project southwest of Neillsville). P. Jensen and D. Tyler of the state department were present for the meeting, where the plan was also presented in detail. Local residents reported those in charge were impressed with the local presentation.
Two carloads of local residents attended a meeting in Neillsville at 1 p.m. Tuesday of this week in behalf of the project. However, it was not on the agenda at that meeting which dealt exclusively with projects of the Poplar River Watershed.
February 8, 1968 — Lake Project Plans Were Discussed At Meeting Here
A public meeting of the Dorchester recreation and lake project committee was attended by over 30 persons in Municipal Hall Monday night. The committee of 12 elected officers examined and discussed plans and progress of planning on the recently approved lake project. W.C. Pinter is chairman of the committee, Richard Hunsader is secretary and Alvin Meyer treasurer.
The committee is comprised of Meyer, James Maurina and Adolph Gorke, village representatives; Kenneth Marcott, Hunsader and Pinter for the Lions Club; George Greaser, James Geiger and Gerald Baker, representing the Fire Dept.; Wilfred Heindl, Otto Genrich and William Jantsch representing the American Legion post.
Plans of the lake project, made by an Eau Claire firm of landscape architects, were considered and discussed at the meeting, with numerous revisions and modifications made. Ted Schwoch Jr., village president and prime mover for the project, displayed a site plan of his design with movable symbols for the several installations. It was used extensively in the discussion. Schwoch also reviewed progress on planning for the project since its inception more than a year ago. He reported too that conditions made in provisional approval of the plan are being met. Favorable responses have been made to overtures, he said.
A representative of the architects met with a sub-committee in the hall for a couple of hours Monday afternoon. The plans were explained to the committee for presentation that evening and forms completed for the so-called LAWCON applications.
March 21, 1968 — Development Corp. Met Here Monday Night
The Dorchester Area Development Corporation Monday night voted to offer a Twin City firm a site on which to build a feed processing plant in this community. The firm is decentralizing and seeks a location in this area of Wisconsin to produce feeds for distribution among dealers in the area. The 25 or more members at the meeting agreed to acquire up to five acres of land with access to the railroad if the firm locates here.
The firm has been offered sites at Colby and Abbotsford and now is considering the merits of the several locations. Ted Schwoch Jr., informed the meeting that the village lake and park project had been approved for additional funding help by LAWCON. The agency now has agreed to share costs of both site acquisition and site development. Also, promised is financial help with roads, parking, picnic area and related work.
There was lengthy discussion on a methods for securing industry for a community under a pilot program approved for the village, culminating in a decision to pursue the matter for additional information and possible action. A discussion about low-cost housing similarly occupied the meeting resulting in a move to obtain more information on which to act.
July 25, 1968 — Federal Funds Granted For Park Project Here
The village park project has been approved for LAWCON funds, according to announcement by Representative Melvin R. Laird Wednesday. The announcement was made by telegram to The Clarion. Application for the funds was made several months ago, and the approval came earlier than is usual, village president Ted Schwoch Jr., said commenting that special efforts were made to secure approval in time for work to be started this summer. Work is expected to start soon on the project with approval of the application for the grant. The text of Rep. Laird’s telegram follows:
Rep. Mel R. Laird (Marshfield) announces the approval of a $6,031 grant by the U.S. Interior Dept. Bureau of outdoor recreation to the village of Dorchester for acquisition and development of approximately 45 acres of land for public recreation project. To include landscaping, seeding, construction of a road and parking lots, picnic tables, grills and park sign. This development on County Trunk “A” in the village will provide facilities for picnics, baseball, tennis and nature area. A small fish pond financed by the village will complement this development. Federal funds will be matched by the village.
A similar telegram was received from Senator Gaylord Nelson just as The Clarion was going to press this afternoon.
August 29, 1968 — Plan Corporation To Operate Proposed Park
A number of community residents, meeting in Municipal Hall Wednesday night, decided to organize a non-profit corporation to build and operate the proposed park development in the Center Avenue Soo Line triangle. The 24 at the meeting voted unanimously to form such corporation and to begin selling memberships to provide financial muscle. The park committee comprised of representatives from the Village Board, Lions Club, American Legion and Fire Department and other residents of the community at last night’s meeting were unanimously favorable to the proposal and an organization meeting to elect directors and officers is planned soon. It was reported that a FHA loan for the park project has been approved, and the funds should become available about Sept. 15. An organization to enter into the borrowing agreement is necessary. Thus, it is felt there is a degree or urgency in organizing the corporation. It was also reported a “Green Thumb” project has been approved for the site and a LAWCON grant was approved some time ago.
November 7, 1968 — Dorchester Park Corporation Meeting Set For Nov. 14
The Dorchester Park Corporation will hold a meeting Thursday, Nov. 14, in Municipal Hall at 7:30 p.m. John Ringstead, FHA director for Clark County will attend, as will Atty. Ernest Gay of Owen. All voting members of the corporation are urged to attend the meeting, an important one, officers said today. All interested members may attend the meeting, they said, and emphasized everyone is welcome. Voting members are those persons who have contributed to the park fund.
November 7, 1968 — Lions Club Donates $1000 to Dorchester Park Project
The Dorchester Lions Club in regular meeting Monday evening, voted to contribute $1,000 to the Dorchester park project. Routine business was transacted at the dinner meeting also. Vincent Acheret of Medford was a guest at the meeting. He talked to the members, describing the new branch campus of Stevens Point State University that will be located at Medford. He declared the new school would benefit this entire area and explained how.
November 21, 1968 — Construction Is Underway Now On lake Project Dam
Park Plans Made At meeting Thursday Night
Dorchester Park Corporation was legally implemented at a meeting in Municipal Hall Thursday night of last week. Granted papers to operate as a corporation by the state, the membership adopted articles of organization and by-laws and elected directors to govern activities.
Directors are Alvin Meyer, William Jantsch, Ted Schwoch, Jr., Richard Hunsader and W.C. Pinter. The board elected Pinter, president, Hunsader, vice president, Schwoch, secretary and Jantsch, treasurer.
Thirty six persons attended the meeting which also was attended by John Ringstead, Clark County FHA director; William Ludwig of Clark County Soil Conservation Service and Atty. Ernest Gay. Each gave information on the park and its development as related to their respective fields.
The park project is cooperatively sponsored by Dorchester Lions Club, Dorchester Fire Department, Leach Paulson Post No. 517, American Legion and the Village of Dorchester.
January 23, 1969 — Excavating on Park Project Down to Depth at End
The picture above taken by Joseph C. Weber late last year, shows the network of steel reinforcing set for the dam which was poured just upstream from Linden Street to form the lake of Dorchester park. The dam, with abutting walls has since been poured and construction work has continued to the present. A total of several tons of steel were used in the floor and walls of the dam.
Excavation on the park site got underway Dec. 20 and continues. Ted Schwoch Jr., village president and an officer of Dorchester Park Corporation said last week that excavation of the deep end was expected to be completed by week’s end. Maximum depth is 14 feet in that area just above the dam. The area upstream towards Center Avenue is being bulldozed out to lesser depth. That work continued this week. Two bulldozers have been on the job daily except Sundays and holidays since the starting date.
March 20, 1969 — Completion of Excavation For Lake Is Near Now
Dorchester park Corporation officers said this week that if all goes well, excavation for the lake on Dorchester park site will be completed during this weekend. The island was piled up near the north over the past couple weeks and when leveling is completed, the link with shore-line to the east will be severed. It is left now for movement of machinery over and back now. Leveling will begin when ground thaws and dries a bit.
Also waiting for thawing and drying of the loose earth are the dikes on either side of the concrete portion of the dam. Obviously, frozen chunks will not make a practical fill to hold back water which already has inundated the lake site.
August 28, 1969 — See Finish of Grading on Dorchester Park Project
Blasting was resorted to Monday to combat the frozen earth and ice which has handicapped grading on the Dorchester Lake site. Earth dug out and piled high during last winter’s excavation froze as it was excavated and this mixed with ice and snow, thawed only as the top layers were scraped off. Monday ted Schwoch Jr., W.C. Pinter and Joe Hennlich blasted the pile to permit air and the warmth of sunlight penetration and speed thawing.
Schwoch said Tuesday that it is expected sub-grading will be completed in a week or so, if all goes well. The dike on the south end at the dam is nearly completed.
September 18, 1969 — Volunteer Help Needed for Landscape Work at Park
A seven-man crew from the Clark County “Green Thumb” program is here this week picking stones and hauling rock from the stone quarry to rip-rap the dam on Dorchester Lake. August Podobnik of Greenwood is foreman of the crew. Ellis Stone Co. Of Stevens Point is donating the rock for the 8 foot high by 1 foot rip-rap job.
Grading on the park site for the ball diamond, the island and a strip along Center Avenue is completed and ready for lining and seeding and tree planting. To accomplish this, Ted Schwoch Jr., says help is desperately needed and he called for volunteers to begin work right away. He declared the landscaping should be done soon and appealed for all possible help to accomplish it before end of fall. All persons who want to help are asked to get in touch with Schwoch right away.
September 25, 1969 — Park Progress Detailed at Annual Meeting Monday
Ted Schwoch Jr., secretary gave a detailed report of progress on construction of Dorchester lake and park to the annual meeting of Dorchester Park Corporation. About 25 members attended the meeting in Municipal Hall Monday night.
The meeting also elected officers for the coming year to include: W.C. Pinter, president; Richard Hunsader, vice president; Ted Schwoch Jr., secretary; William Jantsch, treasurer; Otto Genrich and Lloyd Carlson, directors. All are reelected except Carlson named to succed Alvin Meyer who declined re-election.
Costs so far incurred on the project were enumerated in detail by Schwoch, including approximately $16,000 for excavation, $9,000 for construction of the dam, $5,000 for roads, landscaping, ball diamond, etc. He reported receipt of $75,000 on a loan from FHA and a smaller sum of money as a grant. The loan is for a 40 year term.
Treas. Jantsch reported on funds on hand of about $7,000 received from cooperating organizations and membership fees. The Fire Dept has contributed $1,500, Lions Club $2,000, American legion $2,500.
The corporation is comprised of over 100 members and it was reminded that by-laws stipulate a $2.00 renewal fee is due annually in September. Schwoch reported that work is well along on leveling the earth excavated last winter and that waterways and seeding work is about completed along Center Avenue. The ball diamond, too is nearly finished with seeding also done there. He said the roads had been dug to depth and road surfacing laid. Much landscaping and seeding remains to be done. He showed slide pictures of the project after the meeting.
October 30, 1969 — Dorchester Lake dam Will Be Closed Saturday
Dorchester lake will be dammed at noon on Saturday, Nov. 1. At that time the gate will be closed on water which has been allowed to run through until now. The Nov. 1 closing was set at a meeting of the park committee Monday night. Closing of the dam also starts a guessing contest on what date and hour will water spill out of a filled lake. Prizes will be awarded the closest guesses in the contest which runs until march 1, next year. Ted Schwoch Jr., said Wednesday that all grading should be roughed out in the next week if the weather cooperates. Works on Tuesday encountered snow and ice left over from last winter’s excavating operations — buried deep in the pile of earth dug out then. Green Thumb workers have completed riprap on the dam and now are working on the wall on the entrance road.
February 12, 1970 — Public Invited to Choose Name for Dorchester’s Park
The Dorchester Park Committee at a recent meeting decided to have a park naming contest. They invite all school children and adults of the community to submit their choice of a name for the park, along with a sentence or two explaining why the name is their choice. Deadline for submitting names is March 15. Board members will judge entries and award $10 cash prize for the winning entry. They reserve the right to reject all names if none is deemed suitable. The Dam Spillover Guessing Contest ends March 1 and all persons with tickets to sell are asked to make settlement right after its close.
A new sign has been painted by Ernest Mehner and will soon be put up, naming the several organizations participating in the project.
March 5, 1970 — Dorchester Park naming Contest Ends March 15
Persons desiring to submit names in the Dorchester park naming contest may leave their entries at Jerry’s Shurfine Foods or Krueger’s Super Market or they may mail them to park Corporation, Box 337, Dorchester, Wis. 54425. The deadline for submitting names is March 15. The dam spillover guessing contest ends Sunday, March 1 and persons with tickets to sell are asked to make settlement immediately after that date.
April 2, 1970 — Water Spilled Over Dam Last Thursday at Noon
Water spilled over the dam of Dorchester lake for the first time on Thursday of last week, March 26, 1970 at 6 minutes and 58 seconds past 12 o’clock noon. Miss Julene Radlinger with a guess of March 26, 12:30 p.m. was first prize winner in the spill-over guessing contest which ended March 1. She also won third place in the contest with a 2:30 p.m. guess and Victor Zak who guessed the dam would over flow at 1 p.m. last Thursday was second place winner. First prize was a 9 inch portable TV’ second Polaroid color camera, and third AM - FM radio. The contest was sponsored by Dorchester Park Corporation. Eighty three entries were received in the park naming contest which closed March 15. Names and reasons now are being examined and considered by judges who will select the winner.
April 9, 1970 — Plan Early Start On Shelter House at Park
Foundation for the shelter house in Dorchester Park will be poured as soon as weather permits, park corporation secretary Ted Schwoch Jr., said this week. The Green Thumb crew has been at work recently building rafters for the structure. During the winter months, the crew worked here in Municipal hall and built and painted many picnic tables and painted metal barrels for use as trash barrels in the area.
May 20, 1970 — Dorchester Provides Own Resources for Recreation (From the Marshfield News Herald)
Dorchester — A tract of land on the outskirts of this community is rapidly being turned into a modern recreation park.
The project had its inception when a committee of Dorchester citizens, headed by Mayor Ted Schwoch Jr., met in July of 1967 to develop tentative plans. A lake has been completed, formed by a box-type dam with spillway. Although spring fed to some extent the lake also receives water from the Poplar River which originates in Taylor County and enters in the Black River north of Greenwood.
Months of digging, which involved removal of thousands of cubic yards of dirt, went into construction of the lake bed. An island is a feature of the lake. A park adjacent to the lake will include an outdoor swimming pool scheduled for construction in 1971; a regulation sized baseball diamond nearing completion and picnic and playground areas.
A Green Thumb crew has constructed 85 picnic tables which will be placed in the park for picnickers and has planted evergreen, maple and basswood trees on the area. The project is being financed by a $75,000 loan from Farm Home Administration and by donations from the Dorchester Lions Club, the American Legion Post No. 517 and Volunteer Fire Department as well as some funds from the village of Dorchester.
Agencies assisting in the Dorchester Development program include Farm Home Administration, Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District, Soil Conservation Service, Clark County Highway department, Department of Natural resources and the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Committee. Mayor Ted Schwoch Jr., said the entire project is to provide recreation facilities, activities and services for area residents and transients, and at the same time to add a beauty spot to the area.
July 16, 1970 — Facilities Are Added To Dorchester Lake Project
Construction of a shelter house was recently completed in Dorchester Park and excavation was begun on a swimming pool there. The shelter house, consisting of a roof set on timbers placed upright on a concrete slab, is up the slope a ways from the east shore of Dorchester lake. The swimming pool is being excavated just tot he south. Work also is underway on bathhouses there. A number of picnic tables have been placed in the area east of the lake, especially in the shelter house area, with waste receptacles nearby each.
The shelter house was erected by a Green Thumb crew which has been employed on the project. The crew working in Municipal Hall last winter built the tables and many more and painted used drums for the waste receptacles.
Some trees and shrubbery were planted on the park last year and more landscaping work is planned. The ball diamond is mostly finished. Work on development of the low lying 45 acre former pasture began in November of 1968 with excavation for the lake, which continued through the winter. Simultaneously, a dam and dike were built at the south end of the acreage and landscaping was begun.
A park corporation was organized to make and execute plans for the project. Local organizations also are sponsors: including the Dorchester Lions Club, Leach-Paulson Post No. 517, American legion, the Dorchester Fire Department and the Village of Dorchester. Besides many clubs and groups have contributed funds raised especially for that purpose.
The project is financed with a loan of $75,000 from the Farm Home Administration; grant of $12,000 from the Land and Water Conservation Funds (LAWCON grant) and $5,000 raised locally by the Dorchester Park Corporation and sponsors.
Dorchester Days proceeds are turned over to the project and during the recent festival area homemakers clubs raised several hundred dollars for it with a stunt night program. The Holton 4-H club also recently contributed over $100 and the baseball team donated $800 which it produced during a fund-raising campaign during the spring.
July 30,1970 — Dorchester Lake Gives Up Fish To Youthful Anglers
Three happy boys visited The Clarion about 11:30 a.m. Monday with a catch of fish taken from Dorchester lake earlier in the morning. Tom and Richard Mertens and Gregory Ludwig each caught a respectable fish: the latter two bullheads and Tom a shiner. The boys had measured and weighed the fish, the bullheads at 12 inches and 1 1/2 pounds and the third fish 10 inches and one pound.
The Dorchester ball team played the first game ever on the new diamond at Recreation Park this past Sunday.
September 10, 1970 — Work On Dorchester Park Expected To Be Done Soon
Ted Schwoch Jr., this week reported that work on Dorchester park nears completion. The several individual projects are in the final stages of completion, as follows:
The bathhouse is about 85 per cent complete, with doors yet to be hung and a few odds and ends of construction yet to be done; Rip-rapping of the swimming pool will be completed this week; there is about six feet of water in the pool at this time; The parking lots and the road around the lake and park area are nearly completed; Seeding, mulching and planting trees by a Green Thumb crew will be done this fall to complete the park.
Schwoch, who is secretary of Dorchester Park Corporation, organized to build and administer the park, announced that the annual meeting of the corporation will be held Wednesday night, Sept. 16, in Municipal Hall, starting at 8 o’clock. Two directors will be elected and other business transacted. All members are urged to attend.
September 24, 1970 — Dorchester Park Corp. Annual Meeting Held
The Dorchester Park Corporation members in annual meeting Wednesday night last week re-elected Ted Schwoch Jr., and W.C. Pinter directors for three year terms. Reports were read and other annual business transacted. John Ringstead, FHA administrator of Clark County was present and made a report. Corporation officers are Pinter, president; Otto Genrich, vice president; Schwoch, secretary; and William Jantsch, treasurer. Lloyd Carlson is the other director on the five member board.
The board met Tuesday for an inspection of the park, to check on progress of the work and how much remains to be done. Doors are being hung at the bathhouse and trim put on. As soon as materials arrive plumbing and heating facilities will be installed to complete the bathhouse.
The swimming pool is completed. Green Thumb workers are seeding grass this week and if weather permits, will finish the camp sites and planting of trees this fall.
May 13, 1971 — Get Additional Funds For Dorchester Park
The Farmers Home Administration has approved an additional loan of $26,000 to the Dorchester Park Corporation. The Clarion was informed Wednesday noon by the secretary in Senator Gaylord Nelson’s home office in Milwaukee. The loan is for 40 years at five per cent interest.
The brief announcement explained that: Purpose of the loan is to enable the community to complete construction of its outdoor recreation complex; including camping area, picnic grounds, lake facilities, baseball diamond.
The new funds are in addition to loans and grants previously received from state and federal agencies for construction of the park and lake.
May 13, 1971 — Landscaping Work Done In Dorchester Park
Landscaping of Dorchester Recreational Park includes the planting of several varieties of shrubs and trees; continues this spring. A Green Thumb crew last week starting planting on a project including 17 varieties of trees and shrubs. The plants were obtained for the park through Clark County ASC from the University Extension Dept. The nursing stock is specifically for experimental purposes and is planted strictly according to directions by the Extension Service. Planting is in specific designs and patterns and directions specify size and depth of the holes in which stock is set. Stock is being planted on the camp site for beautification, survivability and for screening purposes. Eventually each campsite will be private screened from adjoining sites by the shrubs. The Park Corporation Board plans dedication of the recreation area in formal ceremonies this summer. The board and Fire Dept., Women’s Auxiliary now are considering a summer swimming program there with a life guard on duty.
August 5, 1971 — Dorchester Park Will Be Dedicated at Mid-Month
A charcoal chicken fry, baseball game and tug-of-war will provide entertainment highlights at the dedication of Dorchester recreational Park to be held on Sunday, Aug. 15. Details of the program now are being worked out by Ted Schwoch Jr., Dorchester Park Corporation secretary and representatives of sponsoring organizations.
Dedication ceremonies are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in the park, following the chicken dinner, serving of which will begin at 11:30 a.m. Included will be remarks on the inception, planning and development of the park. Participating will be corporation officers, village officials, representatives of sponsoring organizations, government agencies and other organizations involved in its building. The featured speaker will dedicate the park to the recreational use by the community and general public.
The annual old-timers baseball game will follow the dedication and also in the afternoon there will be games and prizes for the children. A band has been engaged to play in late afternoon and during the supper hour.
Feature of the evening will be a tug-of-war between teams comprised of Town of Holton and Town of Mayville residents. A beer stand, hamburger stand, and corny dog stand will be operated under the picnic shelter all afternoon and evening. Members of the sponsoring agencies: Dorchester Lions Club, Dorchester Fire Dept., American Legion and their auxiliaries will man the refreshment stands. They also will provide the manpower for other events of the day’s activities.
September 2, 1971 — Dorchester Park Dedicated To Recreational Uses
A large crowd was on hand for dedication of Dorchester Recreational Park here Sunday, August 15. The 45-acre site of park, lake, swimming pool and camping and picnicking facilities culminates three years of planning, organization and work by personnel of Dorchester Park Corporation organized to buy and develop the site on center avenue. Joseph H. Boettcher, Colby school superintendent was master of ceremonies for the dedicatory program; which included remarks by representatives of the several agencies involved with planning and building the park. Rev. Gerald Schuh prayed the invocation and Rev. F.H. Sprengler pronounced the benediction.
Ted Schwoch Jr., project director and secretary of the park corporation board of directors, opened the program with remarks briefly summarizing the history of the park’s development. Speaking for the Green Thumb which donated a labor force for the development were Archie Baumann of Minnesota, regional director; John Kmosena, Ladysmith, state director; Bob Roberts, Fall Creek, assistant director and Reuben Rex of Greenwood, one of the Green Thumb workers on the project.
Other speakers included William Ludwig, Neillsville, Clark County Soil Conservation Service Supervisor; John Ringstead, Clark County FHA supervisor; Willis Copps, state director of FHA; Al Nelson, state director in the bureau of aids program of the Department of Natural Resources, Madison. Ludwig congratulated community residents with special attention for Schwoch, for the perseverance in relentlessly pursuing the goal and overcoming obstacles to achieve success.
State Senator Clifford Krueger of Merrill was featured speaker for afternoon. Joe Sweda state representative for Taylor and Lincoln counties appeared on behalf of Governor Lucey who was unable to attend and read a letter from the governor. He also presented a flag, which had flown over the nation’s capitol, to Schwoch, to be flown over the park.
Senator Krueger is among the several state and federal officials who gave aid in development of the park; declared the park was an outstanding example of soil and water conservation and outdoor recreational facilities. He expressed admiration for community residents in their cooperative efforts in making the park.
Boettcher delivered the dedicatory speech and presented to W.C. Pinter, Park Corporation president, a plaque to be erected in the park. The plaque is inscribed: Dorchester Recreational park, Dedicated August 15, 1971 - Sponsors, Fire department, Lions Club, leach-Paulson Post American Legion. Board of directors of Park Corporation, W.C. Pinter, president; Otto Genrich, vice president; Ted Schwoch Jr., secretary; William Jantsch, treasurer; Lloyd Carlson, director. Alvin Meyer and Richard Hunsader, past directors.
The lake dominates the park which also includes a 180 x 220 foot swimming pool, a 56 x 76 foot building which houses dressing rooms and sanitary facilities, a 30 x 60 foot open shelter for use by picnickers. A 24-place campsite has been established, some with electrical outlets. Water and sewer facilities are installed throughout the park. Plans are in the making for additional recreational facilities on the site. Serving of charcoal-broiled chicken dinner preceded the dedication program. An old timers baseball game was played on the park diamond and a fishing contest and games for the children were held in the afternoon. In the evening, a tug-of-war between teams from Town of Holton and Town of Mayville was held. The Mayville tuggers were victorious. The Derby Town Boys provided music during the afternoon and evening. Grand prizes were awarded during the evening. LeRoy Engel received the boat and Tom Baker was awarded the boat motor.
In some of the old records I found this writeup by one of the young fellows who grew up in our small hamlet of Dorchester. I decided this writeup had to be at the conclusion of the History of The Dorchester Recreation Park Corporation because it provides a complete start to finish analysis of the three year undertaking of the park and lake construction. Written by our good friend and 1964 graduate of Dor-Abby - Gerry Pecher. Thank you Gerry for taking the time to put on paper what happened between the years of 1967 and 1971.
September 1971 — Idle Land Finally Springs Into New Recreational Park
Ever since the small community of Dorchester was founded, there has been an approximately 45 acre plot of land east of the village lying idle. The question of what could be done with the land was discussed many times but nothing materialized. In June of 1966, three prominent citizens; Alvin Meyer, W.C. Pinter and Ted Schwoch Jr., decided they were going to do something about it.
Discussing various ideas at a refreshment stand set up during the annual Dorchester Days celebration, the three men originally thought an industrial park might be the answer. But the expenses and elaborate details would be too costly for the community. How about a recreational park? That sounded like a superb idea since there were natural springs in the swampy area which they thought were large enough to form a small lake.
After further discussion, this was the direction they decided to take. The three men thought many problems would arise in trying to convince the village to develop the area but soon found their idea being accepted by nearly everyone. A year later, a 13-member steering committee was formed, consisting of representatives from the Dorchester Lions Club, Dorchester Volunteer Fire Department, Leach-Paulson Post of the American Legion and the village board.
Through a number of informal meetings, plans were formulated and the committee was finally ready to apply for a loan from the Farmers Home Administration (FHA) of Clark County, headquartered in Neillsville. But in July of 1968, any possibility of a recreational area appeared grim as the FHA decided to discontinue loans for recreational purposes.
There was only one remaining means of achieving the loan, through the formation of a non-profit corporation. The committee did just that. In September of 1968, the Dorchester Park Corporation was formed and voting memberships accepted.
Shortly after, the village received its first loan from the FHA totaling $75,000. Excavation began in November of 1968. Soon, another loan was received from the FHA, this one totaling $26,000. The idea of a park was finally taking form. Ted Schwoch Jr., mayor of Dorchester and park project director, said total cost pf the recreational area will be about $120,000. However, he added; this does not include the numerous hours of volunteer help from citizens in the village which money-wise could never be measured.
Green Thumb Workers, a federally financed program to provide work for elderly and low income persons, have also been working at the site for the past 2 1/2 years.
Located in the recreational park is a closed shelter house which has kitchen facilities and can be used for community functions; 24 camp sites; an open shelter house, ball diamond; 80 picnic tables and a swimming pool which has a sand bottom and is 10 feet deep at one end.
The approximately 15-acre lake is anywhere from five to 12 feet deep and provides fishing for blue gills, crappies and trout. There are five natural springs feeding the lake. The body of water is one of the headwaters pf the Poplar River. A 16 by 40 foot box type dam is located in the southwest corner of the park.
Schwoch said the area is 95 per cent completed. Plans are to install playground equipment and tennis courts as well as trees and shrubbery. Agencies assisting in the project include the Agricultural Soil and Conservation Agency of Clark County which cost-shared the dam and dike; Soil Conservation Service of Clark County which conducted the engineering of the dam and landscaping at no cost; Farmers Home Administration, and LAWCON, which is cost-sharing the picnic area through the Department of Natural Resources.
Present officers of the park are W.C. Pinter, president; Otto Genrich, vice president; Ted Schwoch Jr., secretary; William Jantsch, treasurer; and Lloyd Carlson, director. Past directors have been Alvin Meyer and Richard Hunsader.
2011 — New Dam Required For Dorchester Park Demanded By DNR
Everything proceeded pretty well for 40 years until the original dam started to crack, lean to the north and that brought the wrath of the State of Wisconsin DNR who demanded a new dam be built. This was bid out in 2011 and completed approximately one year later in 2012 for a cost of about $400,000 with a sharing of the cost between the State of Wisconsin and the Dorchester Recreation Park Corporation. Should be good for another 40 yrs. The Dorchester Park and Lake have been a marvelous addition to the community and surrounding area. The park has been extremely well maintained with new features being added over the years. For example; a frisbee 18 basket golf course was added in 2014 and the tennis/basketball courts were replaced in 2015.