Black Hawk State Park

Black Hawk State Park is a state park of Iowa, USA, in the town of Lake View. The park includes land, campgrounds, trails, game preserves, historic structures, and the waters of Black Hawk Lake. Also it is home to the Lake View Water Carnival. This event is held the third full weekend in July every year, and includes many family-friendly activities including a Water Parade.[3] Three sections of the park were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.[2]

Black Hawk State Park
The "Witches Tower"
Location of Black Hawk State Park in Iowa
LocationSac, Iowa, United States
Coordinates42°17′36″N 95°1′24″W
Area86 acres (35 ha)
Elevation1,227 ft (374 m)[1]
Established1935
Named forChief Black Hawk
Governing bodyIowa Department of Natural Resources
WebsiteBlack Hawk State Park
Blackhawk State Park
Wildlife Preserve Area (Area A)
Black Hawk Preserve (Area B)
Denison Beach Area (Area C)
Built1933-1935
Built byCivilian Conservation Corps
Architectural styleRustic
MPSCCC Properties in Iowa State Parks MPS
NRHP reference No.90001678
90001679
90001680[2]
Added to NRHPNovember 15, 1990

History

The State of Iowa acquired the property for the park in several parcels through the efforts of Dr. E.E. Speaker of Lake View, who also served on the State Board of Conservation.[4] The parcels included a former gravel quarry, a 30-acre (12 ha) farm on the southeast side of the lake, and the 30-acre (12 ha) Denison Beach. Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company VCCC 1776, a veterans unit, constructed the parks amenities. They arrived in November 1933 and left the park on May 16, 1935. Another CCC company trained here in June 1934. Several Works Progress Administration transient companies worked in the park in 1936 and 1937. VCCC 1776 began working in the Wildlife Preserve Area (Area A) first. They cleaned up the former quarry, created 13 fish rearing ponds, and planted over 3,400 trees by 1935.[4] They completed the picnic shelter, two stone and peeled log latrines, and added camp stoves and barbecue ovens in the Black Hawk Preserve (Area B) between January and April 1935. The large picnic shelter in the Denison Beach Area (Area C) was completed between March and May 1935. The park was opened for visitors by 1936.

National Register of Historic Places

On November 15, 1990 three areas of the park were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Their historic importance is derived from their association with the CCC. The park was part of a larger study of Iowa's state parks called the Civilian Conservation Corps Properties in Iowa State Parks: 1933-1942. Area A focuses on the wildlife preserve that includes the fish rearing ponds, a latrine, and infrastructure such as steps, a bench, and a paved road. Area B includes a picnic shelter, latrine, drinking fountain and incinerator.[5] Area C is a picnic shelter and latrine building.[6] The Rustic style was used in the design of the buildings. The significance of this architectural style is that it was designed to blend into its natural surroundings by means of its material, design, and workmanship.[4] Areas A and B are historic districts, while Area C is an individual listing.

References
  1. "Black Hawk State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. "Black Hawk Lake Summer Water Carnival". City of Lake View. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  4. Joyce McKay. "Blackhawk State Park, Wildlife Preserve Area (Area A)". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-22. with photos
  5. Joyce McKay. "Blackhawk State Park, Black Hawk Preserve (Area B)". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-22. with photos
  6. Joyce McKay. "Blackhawk State Park, Denison Beach Area (Area C)". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-22. with photo
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