Wildwood Park is a public park and

nature sanctuary Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are p ...

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. The 229 acre park is known for its 90-acre shallow lake with over 6 miles of trails and mile-long boardwalk over the wetlands. The park is located within the city limits of Harrisburg; however, it is administered and maintained by the

Dauphin County Dauphin County (; Pennsylvania Dutch: Daffin Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 286,401. The county seat and the largest city is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's state capital and ninth ...

Parks and Recreation Department. Wildwood Park runs in line with

Paxton Creek Paxton Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Paxton Cree ...

, a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the Susquehanna River, on the northern side of Harrisburg and adjacent to the main campus of HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College. Paxton Creek feeds into the lake, which comprises 60% of the Park. A section of the old Pennsylvania Canal runs parallel to the western trail. The remainder of the park is mixed deciduous forest, and an artificial meadow overlooks the eastern side of the lake. Wildwood Park is also part of the

Capital Area Greenbelt The Capital Area Greenbelt is a looping trail located in the area of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This 20-mile loop around Pennsylvania's capital city provides visitors and tourists with opportunities to hike, ride bicycles, skate, jog, fish, walk t ...

Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center

The 4,000 square foot Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center, opened in 1999, features exhibits about the natural history of the park and the

Susquehanna Valley The Susquehanna Valley is a region of low-lying land that borders the Susquehanna River in the U.S. states of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The valley consists of areas that lie along the main branch of the river, which flows from Up ...

area. Environmental education programs are offered for school groups. The center won multiple awards for the design of its programming.

History

In 1901, the City of Harrisburg established Wildwood Park on an area known as "Wetzel's Swamp" as a part of the

City Beautiful movement The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. It was a part of the ...

, a nationwide reform effort conceived by social reformers to build civic loyalty and a sense of community among urban dwellers.History of Wildwood Park
Friends of Wildwood Lake Nature Center, Retrieved January 15, 2011. The lake was formed in 1908 by damming Paxton Creek, which then allowed paths to be laid around it and other facilities established, such as a baseball field, a zoo, riding stables, and boating operations. In 1964, the city deeded 157 acres of the park to

Harrisburg Area Community College , mottoeng = Knowledge Restores Truth , established = 1964, accredited in 1967 , type = Public, Community College , president = John J. "Ski" Sygielski, Ed.D. , city = Harrisburg , state = PA , country = USA , undergrad = 19,000 , admin ...

for the construction of a campus and academic buildings. In 1976, the

Commissioners and

Harrisburg City Council The Harrisburg City Council is the legislative branch of the city government of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and consists of seven members elected at-large.

agreed to the Wildwood Park transfer agreement, and the park was acquired by the county for $1. The Friends of Wildwood Park non-profit was organized in 1987 to support and promote enhancements of the park.

References

External links

Wildwood Park
(Official site)
Dauphin County government: Wildwood Park profile
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