Many small towns have one, or perhaps two, features which are “must see” for visitors and residents alike.
It might be a town square. A historic building. A park or bandstand within a park. Or a sculpture of a founding father.
In the particular small town I called home — this place was “THE DUCK POND”
From the time I was a child until now — it has both transformed and stayed the same.
Location is the same. Visible from Main Street if you don’t drive too fast or blink at the wrong time.
Spring fed is the same. The spring (or springs) are strong enough to keep the water open year round. (Not common in Wisconsin.) Yes, some ice forms. But don’t venture on it — it’s thin and fragile.
Cement curbing is part of transformed. Years ago one end had a stone wall and the other banks were grass and dirt. Now, the shape is fixed.
The center fountain is part of transformed. And notable enough that it was incorporated into the Sesquicentennial logo.
And the name? I’m glad you asked.
Yes, most years there is a duck population. And the fish — the descendants of a time when the pond was stocked with trout have thrived. Fishing? Only on special occasions — such as a children’s fishing contest during the Summer Festival.
Relax at THE DUCK POND
