Dorothy Jensen

Waterloo Firemen's Park: by the People, for the People Dorothy Jensen

Who says history has to be boring? Using her gift for getting interesting stories out of ordinary people, the author tells us how a bog with a river running through it in 1905 became a state-wide destination through the volunteer efforts of town and countrymen alike. From hosting the first Homecoming, where previous residents were invited back to be housed, fed and entertained by the town, to the vaudeville acts on the outdoor stage, dancing to the big bands in the pavilion, or watching the ball games in the natural amphitheater of the field. Soak up a little of the good old days as we go from the little town of 1200 who regularly hosted 25,000 people for the Fourth of July to today's sixty acre park, still under the stewardship of the Firemen. Using gentle humor and exhaustive research, the author weaves the characters, curmudgeons and coaches into a revealing fabric of this small town in Wisconsin.