Lincoln Park to celebrate 150 years: From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 13 the Green County Historical Society will sponsor a general informational program at 1 p.m. about Lincoln Park turning 150 years old. 

The park will celebrate 150 years and the historic water tower will be 130 years old. Those in attendance are welcome to bring a lunch, and will have a chance to look inside the water tower. Water and sweets will be provided by the historical society. Lincoln Park, the oldest park in the city was designated in 1869. 

It was originally going to be the town square if the plat for the town New Mexico had been successful. During the late 1920s to early 1930s campsites were available for tourists. For a time concerts were also held there. The Green Bay Packers built a playground in this park in 2013. 

The brick water tower with a wooden tank was built in 1889, taking only four months. In 1914 the wooden water tank (100,000 gal) was replaced with a steel tank with a 125,000 gallon capacity. 

The tower hasn’t been used since about 1993 and was scheduled to be razed in 2004, until the Green County Historical Society had it placed it on both the Wisconsin Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.