Couple donates 48 acres to William O’Brien State Park

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News Releases
Couple donates 48 acres to William O’Brien State Park
(Released April 8, 2010)


William O’Brien State Park recently acquired a 48-acre donation from Peter and Sally Anson, who have donated 200 acres to the park since 1993.
At the closing in March, the Ansons emphasized their desire for the land to be preserved. As Peter put it, “A wise man once said, ‘Land is unique - they don’t make it anymore.’”

The Ansons acquired the land in the early 1970s. Sally recounted the splendor of a large oak tree with yellow lady’s slippers crowded underneath.

William O’Brien State Park is located about one hour northeast of the Twin Cities, on the St. Croix River. The park has more than 1,650 acres of rolling oak woodland and sandstone outcroppings overlooking the river. The park is known for its many recreational opportunities, including hiking, canoeing and fishing. The land donated by the Ansons in the 1990s is interspersed with prairie openings that provide a diverse setting for bird watching and other wildlife observation.

“The addition of this latest parcel to William O’Brien State Park will allow us to open additional lands for public recreation, as well as increase our resource protection efforts and interpretive programming opportunities,” said Park Manager Steve Anderson. “The Anson’s caring and stewardship of the land will continue on as part of the state park system.”

The donated land is considered “critical habitat,” and therefore the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) program will provide matching funds equal to the dollar value of the land donation. The RIM funds will be used to purchase additional land for Minnesota state parks in the near future.

For more information about William O’Brien State Park is available online.