Union Park Now: The Fishpond 2

This is the "backdrop" of the fishpond, a natural outcropping of rocks. Again it is very reminiscent of Eagle Point Park. I hope to discover in my research how the pond was filled with water. Was it pumped in from the bottom of the pond or did it trickle down the rocks?

Union Park Now: The Fishpond 1

I have not been able to find any postcards of either the roller coaster or the fishpond back when Union Park was the place to be. The top photo shows the circular outline of the pond. The second photo gives you a better idea as to the curvature and depth of the pond. Keep in mind that the pond would have been deeper in years gone by. Soil and plant life have accumulated over the years. When I stood in the pond area, it was about 18" deep. It reminds me of the pond at Eagle Point Park in Dubuque.

Union Park Now: The Stairs to Wonder Cave

This photo was taken in September 2008. It shows the stairs to Wonder Cave as they appear now. The stairs are located to the right of The Lodge. It's actually quite a steep incline. You can imagine the anticipation of climbing up the stairs to the blinking archway of the cave entrance.

Wonder Cave, Union Park postcard 1

This image shows the interior of Wonder Cave after renovations were complete in 1908. If you look closely, there appears to be water in the lower right-hand corner of the image. In fact, prior to the renovations, trips through the pitch black cave were slippery and treacherous. The renovations included the addition of a compressed walkway, stairs, bridges, and an exit. The entrance of the cave enticed visitors through its archway with blinking lights. The cave was a popular attraction especially because it was so cool in the Summer.

This postcard was used in 1909. According to Iowa Underground (2004) by Greg A. Brick, this cave was originally known as Timmen's Cave. The former lead mine was rediscovered by Greek rail layers as they put in the trolley tracks in 1900 or 1901. The cave is located on the hill south of the Loop. The entrance was bombed shut after the park closed in 1934. At the present time the cave is unstable and off-limits to visitors.

Union Park Now: The Spring House

Looking through the trees from the sidewalk that leads up to Wonder Cave, the entrance to the Lodge's spring house or root cellar is just visible. In this photo you can also see the dirt path that leads from the sidewalk to the little storage area.

Union Park Now: The Lodge

This is the same sidewalk going up to Wonder Cave as pictured in the postcard of the Lodge. As you can see, the tiny pine tree has grown into a giant. As you begin the ascent to the cave, if you look to the left you can see the crumbling foundations of the greenhouses. Beyond the greenhouses, the spring house is visible through the trees from the sidewalk as well (see upcoming posts).

The Lodge, Union Park

The Lodge was located on the South end of the Loop. The caretaker, Mr. Bonz, and his family lived in the Lodge; perhaps they are the people pictured on the porch in this postcard. Behind the Lodge, one can see the greenhouses, the small buildings in the background. Mr. Bonz used to store the bulbs and plants in the greenhouses during the Winter and replant them in the Spring. Not visible in this postcard are the well and the spring house.

Take a close look at the sidewalk leading up the hill and the little pine tree in this image. Both the sidewalk and tree still exist as you will see in the next post. The tree has grown into a giant specimen. The sidewalk is still passable and once lead park visitors up to Wonder Cave.