Sunday, September 9, 2012

Walking in Cedarburg

I came to Cedarburg, both to enjoy this lovely town and to do the 10K Volksmarch here.

I picked up the map on Thursday evening and discovered at about its half way point is ended up back basically back at the hotel. So I decided to break it into two pieces.

I was out the door about 7 AM and oh no! Rain drops! The route went west a bit taking me by public buildings such as the public library and the police station. Then it headed back to Washington Avenue, one of the main streets in Cedarburg. The route headed north up and around Centennial Park. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more had it not been raining. Then back to Washington Avenue.

I walked by the former Woolen Mill building, now an area called Cedar Creek Settlement, full of shops. The sign on the building explained this had been the only mill west of Philadelphia which made worsted woolen, a product in much demand for military uniforms during the Civil War.

At the Interurban Bridge Area the route got more interesting, even in the rain.

There once was an interurban train that ran between Milwaukee and Sheboygan. The trail is now for hiking and biking. I liked this view "up creek."

These are very old buildings and would have been seen by all who rode the train.

The route curved along the creek by the fire station and then across another bridge, and I was back at the hotel.


Indeed after walking for an hour in light rain, breakfast sounded very good.

I lingered for awhile because it looked as if the rain was ending. Yes! I went back to the point where I had left the route and continued along Cedar Creek in a park area. I liked this view of creek, now below the dam.

I continued on through an area of new houses, but it's still wild country. If you look carefully you can see wild turkeys walking between the trees.

The route continued on through a cemetery, a landmark for those doing the special program (see Walking Port Washington above).

The map said the next part was Beech Park. I was expected green spaces such as those I had enjoyed before, but got a surprise. Beech Park is a forest.

About mid-way through I found signs that neighborhood kids perhaps are having fun.

Out of the forest and a couple of turns took me by a Starbuck's where I stopped for a cappuccino. Then up the street again and by the St. Francis Borgia Church.

The sky obviously continued to be a bit stormy. This church marks the southern end of the historic district. Soon I was back to the hotel for a rest.

In the early evening the sun came out and I did a short walk through the route by the hotel in order to get some better pictures than I could get in the rain.


Here's the grist mill in the evening sunshine.
The mill was built in the mid 1850s. The early European settlers were attracted to this area because the fall of the creek looked as if it would provide a lot of water power. At its peak operation this mill produced 120 barrels of flour daily. Now it is a commercial building.

Walking along the path by the creek I saw a scene new to me. Ducks were sitting on the lip of the dam. Never have seen something like that before.

 The ducks blend with the lip of the dam quite nicely, but if you look closely you can see they are there.

And here's a view of the creek from the Interurban Bridge in the early evening.

Cedarburg is certainly a lovely place for a walk -- and as noted in the first posting about this place, has a shop with great ice cream. A wonderful weekend in this area.



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