And a Creek Runs Through It

        SOMETHING NEW IN GAINESVILLE,

                    HEADWATERS PARK

 

       The Mississippi River begins as a trickle of water in Northern Minnesota. My wife and I explored the origins a lesser known waterway, Gainesville's Hogtown Creek, this week. We read the city had opened a new park there. 

 

       

     Hogtown Creek Headwaters Nature Center is a terrific place to visit. Bring the kids as there's room to run, trails to hike, and the sparkling-new playground is first class.

      Just fifteen years ago they were about to break ground on a Walmart Super Center here.  Thankfully the appropriate amount of hell was raised forcing the big box merchants to move. 

       Allison, the park's helpful manager, took us on a tour of the 1890's farmhouse.  It's a gem, lovingly restored. It now serves as a meeting place and museum. 

     Exhibits inform you of what's been going on in this pastoral north Gainesville setting -once known as "Paradise"- for the last 300 years. It was the Hartman Dairy for most of the last century. The right amount of ancient milk bottles are on display. Tapping trees for turpentine was a big deal too.

     Stepping outside we encountered a spiffy new playground, the only one east of Berkeley that has its own zip line. As I hustled over to try it Francesca pointed out a sign that read, "Ages 8-12 only". 

 

 

       That ain't right. Old folks like to zip too.   

      Hogtown Creek defines much of northwest Gainesville as it meanders south through Ring Park and Loblolly Woods. Neighbors tell me it roars twelve feet deep -a block from our house- in extreme weather. It disappears into into the aquifer beneath us, at Haile Sink, just north of Paines Prairie.  

      Pork was big business back in the day. Then the Home of The Gators was known as "Hogtown" and a creek ran through it. 

 

   To the right is some old guy -who thinks of himself as being younger than he looks- in the farm house museum. He is pointing out where he lives, where Rattlesnake Creek meets up with Hogtown. The headwaters are at the top right, just two blocks west of NW 13 Street.

 

 

                   Where the creek begins

            A nearby hiking trail led us into deep woods. 

At one point our path was blocked by a deer and her fawn. Our half-hour walk took us past colorful, informative signs decorated with and butterflies and frogs.

         Headwaters park is located at 1500 NW 45 Ave. While the grounds are available everyday, the farmhouse hours are limited. It is open from 10-3 on Tuesdays,Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday. This Sunday, July 10th at noon, a park ranger will give a talk on "Prescribed Burning" in the cool of the air-conditioned meeting room.  I wish her subject could be the same as mine, "Headwaters Park is the Bomb!".

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