Duncan Memorial Park was once a popular Clark County park. Located about two miles east of Owen on the south side of Willow Road at the Popple River (Section 33, Town of Hoard). Duncan Park was an authorized Clark County, Wisconsin park from 1936 until it was closed in 1978.
Duncan Memorial Park was named for Myron H. Duncan. Mr. Duncan was the Administrator of the Clark County Asylum at Owen from the time it was built in the 1920s, until Mr. Duncan’s unexpected death from pneumonia in March 1936. He was known statewide for his advocacy of healthcare, as well as his keen interest in the environment, fishing and the outdoors. He had served as mayor of Wausau, WI, and was a former president of the Asylum Superintendents Association of Wisconsin. He was a Knight Templar of the Masonic Lodge.
Upon his passing in 1936, the Clark County Board established Duncan Memorial Park as an official 6-acre County Park, located on the banks of the Popple River. The area had long been a park for many years prior, and also some years after.
Grand opening of the newly named park was held on Sunday June 21, 1936. Founding volunteers, and names who led the work necessary to turn the area into a public “park” included: Ed Felbaum, Theodore Thompson, Art Stadler, Art Herrick, Emil Haaya, and Myron G. Duncan.
Duncan Park was home to countless picnics, reunions, family outings, fishing, swimming and recreational activities. Nearby Midway School, and Curtiss school picnics were held at Duncan Park for decades. Typical of picnics at Duncan Park was the June 1937 Clark County Farmer’s Union family picnic with an estimated turnout of about 1,000 people.
The popular Facebook social media group called “Wisconsin Back Roads” recently posted a photo of the Popple River at Willow Road of the area once home to Duncan Memorial Park. The posting generated many nostalgic comments from viewers who remembered the Good Ol’ Days of Duncan Park. Some of those comments:
• Tim German: Clark County pulled the playground equipment out in 1983.
• Jim Wirtala: I remember Duncan Park and Fritz’s Pond.
• Linda Clark: It was a pretty little park. Many families had picnics there. It was sad to see it abandoned.
• Janice Potocnik Homan: Miki Fritz and I rode down to the park all the time and took the horses in the river.
• Jane Borchardt: We had our Midway School Picnic every year as final day of school. We were expected to clean the school grounds of any trash and to rake different areas before walking down to the park. A walk of less than one mile. Best treat was the Manuel’s Ice Cream in the large canvas bags. We also competed in games. Wonderful memories. A school friend and I walked across the river at a low point. We found arrowheads. I no longer have mine.
• Diane Lulloff: Curtiss graded school also had their end of year picnic there every year. So fun with potluck picnic, families all there, and softball and other games to play. So sad the park is gone now.
• Naomi Buchanan-Dickson: Good memories of potlucks at Duncan Park.
• Naomi Hagen Laufers: We played there a lot back in the day.
• Susan Metzner: I remember the mosquitoes
• Christopher Eloranta: Wading the Popple and catching smallmouth by the score with my Dad is one of my core memories. And I fished there every single day of my senior year of high school (when the season was open).
Duncan Memorial Park closed in 1978. Don Kirn, Clark County administrator of Forestry and Parks, led the decision to close. Clark County developed a new 8-acre County Park in the 1970s, located off Highway 29 on Black River, west of Withee, in Section 5 of Longwood.