HistoricSiteMarkers
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Richmond Memorial Park

Town of West Point, Columbia County, Wisconsin

Marker Inscription

Richmond Memorial Park of The Rocks of Gibraltar Dedicated to the memory of James & Emma F. Richmond, and other early pioneers Donated by Gilbert & Ruth Richmond, for the instruction, pleasure and use of future generations. Sponsored by the Friends of Our Native Landscape Surveyed 1831 - Homesteaded 1849 - Dedicated 1929 Elevation 1246 feet

Erected by Wisconsin Friends of Our Native Landscape

The Story

This memorial park in the Wisconsin countryside honors James and Emma Richmond and the other early settlers who homesteaded the land beginning in 1849, not long after the region was surveyed in 1831. Gilbert and Ruth Richmond donated the ground so future generations could learn from and enjoy the striking rock formations known as the Rocks of Gibraltar. Dedicated in 1929 with the Friends of Our Native Landscape, it joins pioneer memory to the conservation of a natural landmark.

Why it matters

The park reflects both the homesteading generation that settled the Upper Midwest and the early-20th-century movement to preserve America's native landscapes for the public.

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Related people

  • ¡ James Richmond
  • ¡ Emma F. Richmond
  • ¡ Gilbert Richmond
  • ¡ Ruth Richmond

Themes & tags

Westward ExpansionFrontier HistoryMemorial

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