Our Parks and Places
Five activities to do at Westport Park
Westport Park, located in the southwest corner of Dickinson County, is a little hidden gem for those looking to spend some time outdoors. Let’s take a look at five activities you can do at one of the county’s pristine parks: Fish Westport Park was once home to a state record bass. Even if you don’t Read More »
Read MoreDickinson Recycling Center accepting only green waste amid COVID-19 restrictions
The Dickinson Recycling Center in Milford will only take green waste until further notice. For the safety of the community and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dickinson Recycling Center will be restricting person-to-person contact by accepting only green waste, such as grass, leaves and brush, as of Monday, April 6. No other materials will Read More »
Read MoreAdopt-a-Roadside program begins
Enjoy time outside and give back to the community with a new Adopt-a-Roadside program beginning through Dickinson County Conservation. “I basically saw litter being an issue in the roadsides during work the last few years, and I think this is a good way to get groups of people involved in the environment,” said Douglas Todey, Read More »
Read MoreWestport Schoolhouse No. 5: A brief history
The first school in Dickinson County was an in-home private school that began around 1860, with a teacher employed to teach the children of Dr. J.S. Prescott and a few other local youth. The following years saw more private schools that soon expanded into small public education institutions throughout the county. Westport Schoolhouse history Westport Read More »
Read MoreCheck out Okoboji’s premier disc golf course
Pink, bright yellow, red — the colors in Kenue Park aren’t just from wildflowers. Disc golfers toss discs in all kinds of fluorescent shades through the 18-hole Okoboji Gold Disc Golf Course that winds through the 75-acre park in Okoboji. “We’ve had disc golfers come from as far away as Canada and Texas to play Read More »
Read MoreView live trumpeter swans in Kenue Park
An eight-foot wingspan, long legs and a graceful neck — the trumpeter swans in Kenue Park are a lovely sight. The two rehabilitated trumpeter swans live year-round on the wetland viewable from the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji. “We have both a male and female trumpeter swan on our wetland, and they are flightless Read More »
Read MoreFree compost and mulch at the Dickinson Recycling Center
Everyone loves superfoods, and compost is like a superfood for your garden. Food scraps and yard waste together make up about 30 percent of what we throw away, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and instead they can be composted. Composting leaves and grass clippings is exactly what the Dickinson Recycling Center in Milford does. Read More »
Read MoreDispose of household hazardous materials at the Regional Collection Center
Cleaners, pesticides, oil-based paints — how do you dispose of these items when you’re done with them? The Dickinson County Regional Collection Center (RCC) located in Milford accepts household hazardous materials such as these and disposes of them responsibly. HHMs, or household hazardous materials, are chemicals that are reactive, flammable, corrosive or poisonous. “Basically, it’s Read More »
Read MoreWildlife love Little Sioux Savanna and you should too
Walk into Little Sioux Savanna, a beautiful park just west of Milford, and take a seat on the mowed trail. Watch. Listen. Wait. A honeybee buzzes beside you as it gathers pollen in the prairie. A northern leopard frog jumps into the Little Sioux River just below where you’re seated. An eight-point buck and Read More »
Read MoreBig Spirit Lake’s perfect south shore
Only two years after the Dickinson County Conservation Board was established, it took on the care of a beautiful recreation area on the south side of Big Spirit Lake. The conservation board worked on an agreement with the State Conservation Commission for 25 years of management of Orleans Beach. The area east of the spillway Read More »
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