WHAT
IS THE PARK'S STORY:
The pioneer village of Spruce Hill
was vacated in the early twentieth century. The property sat undisturbed
in the ownership of a former resident until Douglas County acquired it
in 1979. Remnants of the early village are evident today only as depressions
in the ground and old building foundation pieces. The remains of an earthen
dam constructed to power a sawmill are still visible in the landscape.
Our 2nd largest park at almost 97 acres,
Spruce Hill serves as a gathering spot for residents of this rural township.
It is used by groups for day outings, scout troops for 1 or 2 day overnights,
and local softball teams for games and practice. There are 4 miles of
easy cross country ski trails and the DATA snowmobile trail crosses the
park. The woodlands are at their most accessible in the winter season.
Spruce Hill Park contains some unusual forest types
for Douglas County. The lowland brush area bordering Spruce Creek is populated
with spruce, birch, aspen, and the not often seen tamarack. Tamarack is
the only native conifer in Minnesota that sheds its needles every year.
A trip through the park in late fall will yield the sight of hundreds
of golden needled tamaracks in the process of regeneration. Bird
watchers take note that the Great Gray Owl is known to frequent tamarack
swamps.