County Grounds Park / Sanctuary Woods - History Tour 6/14/25 @10am

**Important location information in bold below**

Jonathan Piel has extensively researched and documented the history of the relics in County Grounds Park. As tour guide, he includes photos, maps, stories that bring over a century of park history alive including visiting many of the remaining remnants. The ~1-mile guided hike includes several pre-designated stops: 120-year old field-stone stairs, split-boulder pavilion, 110-year-old 6' stone dolphin vase, former waterfalls, 300 year old trees, former sunken gardens, and extensive onsite mental health hospital history. As featured in, Michelle Madden’s “111 Places in Milwaukee That You Must Not Miss”.

Additionally, Nancy Mitchell will join this tour as co-guide. Nancy will share her personal stories of growing up with these grounds as her "backyard" in the 1940s and 1950s because her parents worked in the Tuberculosis Hospital on Watertown Plank Road.

The Tour also includes 1950s video in addition to historic photos

Tours are free, donations are appreciated. The tour guides are volunteering in support of the non-profit Friends of County Grounds Park (initiatives include conservation, invasives removal, signage, trail building, and communications). Donations to the Friends group of any amount are appreciated and $5/person per tour is a wonderful value. If so inspired, donations can be made:

• Anytime online at: PayPal (including all credit cards)
• In person at the tour in cash, or checks made out to “The Park People of Milwaukee” with “County Grounds” in the memo

Again, these tours are free, any donations are based on your inspiration.

Meeting near the County Grounds Park sign in the square gravel parking lot in the middle of the park (see image)

County Grounds Park has no formal address, but can be found and navigated to via Apple/Google/Waze Maps searching “Sanctuary Woods Parking”. That parking circle is 0.5 mile north and west of 87th & Watertown Plank Road. Eventbrite requires an address, but this address only gets you close. The tour begins and ends at the parking lot in the center of the park, see park map at:

Dress for the weather. There are no onsite restrooms. Tours are suitable for people of all ages.

Most tours are ~1 mile, with regular stops. The paths are not suitable for mobility impaired. Special access tours can be facilitated by contacting the email below.

Friendly pets on leash are welcome.

Got questions? Send email to [email protected]

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