
There are 2 village parks
in the Village of Ellsworth:
Summit Hill Park: Summit Hill Park covers 16 acres of land in the
midway district of Ellsworth. Access to the park is gained on W. Grove Street and off from W. Summit Ave. where parking is available. Picnic
tables and shelters, grills, drinking fountain, playground equipment, tennis
courts, softball field, volleyball courts, concession stand/restroom facility,
and park benches are available at the site. Summit Hill Park is the site of the Bob Young Ball
field and is the home of the popular Ellsworth Hubber Baseball Team. The park
is used for passive recreation, as well as festival activities.
East End Park Sometime in the early 1900's,
several of the East Ellsworth business people got together and built a dance
pavilion in the East End Park, known as the Park Pavilion. It
was built on pillars, because of the danger of floods in the park. The pavilion
flourished until 1919 when the Fair Ground Pavilion was built and then
collapsed. Later it burned. A pillar from the old pavilion still stands in the East End Park today. In 1922 the Ox-Bow Inn was
officially opened in 1922, the tourist kitchen was built of logs near the Park
Pavilion. Ox-Bow Inn still stands today and is used for various festival
activities.
The park is located on Hwy
10 and E. Wall St., close to the East Ellsworth business district. Off
street parking is available off of N. Crosscut Street. Picnic tables and shelters,
grills, drinking fountain, benches, restroom facility, basketball hoop, and
playground equipment are available at the site. The park is used for family
gatherings, as well as festival activities. The park has been the site for weddings
and special occasions. The park is a favorite spot for tourists and motorists
passing thru Ellsworth.
Other
Outdoor Facilities
Pierce
County Fairgrounds
Home of the Pierce County Fair, held in August of each year. The fairgrounds
host a large range of events, including the ever-popular Polka Fest, Cheese
Curd Festival, Old Car Club Show, Truck Demo Derby, along with many other
festivals and activities. Camping is available.
Cairns
Woodlot Through the
generosity of Gertrude Cairns in tribute to her parents, Mr. & Mrs. George Cairns, the 34 acres of
land, one mile west of Ellsworth on W. Cairns St. off Hwy 65 N, was purchased by the
Village of Ellsworth in 1949. The 34-acre tract of land
consists of 19 acres of wooded area and 15 acres of cultivated land. The wooded
area is covered with mostly virgin timber consisting of hardwood such as
basswood, red oak, elm and hard maple. Some of the original trees have been
removed for lumber. The cultivated area has been replanted to pine, spruce, and
ash trees. An agreement was entered into between the University of Wisconsin,
represented by the Cooperative Extension Department, Wisconsin Conservation
Department and the Lake States Forest Experiment Station of the U.S. Forest
Service, to carry this project on as a cooperatively and use it as an educational
demonstration forest. Thinning of the wooded area is done periodically as
suggested by the Forester. The unit is marked as such with Miss Cairns name on;
it was dedicated to her, by a plaque placed on a large stone at the entrance to
the area. An un-groomed walking trail runs thru the wooded area. It has many
beautiful wild flowers in the spring.
Ellsworth is the hub of
Pierce County's 210 plus miles of snowmobile trails, a favorite wintertime
sport. Several nearby streams provide outstanding trout fishing. Ellsworth is
near many recreational options, including the Mississippi & St. Croix
Rivers, state and county parks, hiking trails, and golf courses.
Summit Park, East End
Park, East End Park