Picture this: A late summer stroll through Cravath Lakefront and Starin parks

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Picture this: A late summer stroll through Cravath Lakefront and Starin parks

Picture this: A late summer stroll through Cravath Lakefront and Starin parks

Summer is winding down.

The autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere this year, signifying the first day of autumn, falls on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Afternoon visitors on Saturday, Sept. 9, to Whitewater’s Cravath Lakefront and Starin parks found a day conducive to outdoor activity, with clear skies, calm winds, and temperatures in the 70s.

The inviting weather was complemented by vistas and flora befitting the end of summer.

In Cravath Lakefront Park, colorful flora, seeded by both acts of nature and man, dotted the greenery, while in Starin Park, families enjoyed the playground, bikers, the path, and youngsters, a basketball court, while the sounds of exuberance could be heard as Warhawks converged on nearby Perkins Stadium.

Following are photographs from a walk in both parks taken Saturday afternoon.

Three photos above: Views across Cravath Lake are characterized by water and plants as the city’s lake restoration efforts continue to unfold.

Three photos above: Nature finds space along the Cravath Lakefront Park shoreline.

Three photos above: As summer winds down, landscaping within the park shows its last bits of color.

An ornate entryway into Whitewater’s Cravath Lakefront Park beckons visitors. The park hugs the shoreline of Cravath Lake, a 70-acre impoundment which is connected to Trippe Lake, a 121-acre impoundment. According to information found on the “Protect Wisconsin Waterways” website, the two lakes boast histories beginning with settler Samuel Prince, who erected a cabin in Whitewater in 1837. In the 1850s, additional developments were forged to create motive power to a gristmill built on Whitewater Creek, and, the website states, Trippe Lake was “recreated” in the mid 1860s to power a paper mill. The full history, as offered by the site, is here: https://protectwiwaterways.org/cravath-lake/#:~:text=Located%20in%20Downtown%20Whitewater%20in,maximum%20depth%20of%2010%20feet.

A view across Starin Park offers a glimpse of manicured fields designed for sport-related activity such as soccer and baseball. Rising above the treeline is the historical Starin Park Water Tower. Built in 1889, the structure was decommissioned as an active component of the city’s water supply system in late 2022, according to information found on the city’s website. The city has been maintaining the tower as a community landmark.

Playmates, Alyza, 7, at left, and Ashly, 10, both of Whitewater entertain one another in the park as family members visit at a nearby picnic table.

Craig and Rea Fritz, both of Cold Spring, enjoy an afternoon bike ride through Starin Park.

A bur oak lends its shade to visitors in Starin Park. The tree is among several designated by markers as part of a “plant map,” developed as part of the city’s Arboretum at Starin Park project. The project found its inception as part of a tree replacement project begun with a $25,000 urban forestry grant received by the city from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in 2022. The project was further enhanced in 2023 with the addition of a welcome and education center which was donated to the city by Generac. Plans call for the center to “increasingly become the gateway to the Arboretum at Starin Park,” city officials noted in April when the structure was dedicated. Starin Park is a 35-acre, city-owned property located adjacent to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus.

Kim McDarison photos.

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