My research journey have been very interesting and I am eager to learn more about my topic on Putnam Park. I started my journey in this research by having few research question to have a better understanding on Putnam Park. My research question was about how Putnam Park was established and what its main purpose is. While doing my research, I started creating more sub question which will lead me to a better understanding on Putnam Park. For example, I started here with a question about how Putnam Park was established and now I’ve ventured slightly away from my research question to know about how the committee of Putnam Park played a role in establishing Putnam Park. I did not venture away completely, but I became more interested about Putnam Park committee as I did my research on the transfer of Putnam Park to the State of Wisconsin. I’m not afraid to concentrate on this sub question because I realize that this part of my research does play a role in determining how Putnam Park was established. I am just creating more branches of questions so that I can come up with an excellent piece with complete understanding on Putnam Park and make my audience realize that parks are not as simple as it looks and it has a whole history behind it.

               As for now, I am happy with my research because I manage to answer questions that I had. A deed is a very important part to know about a piece of land. I manage to find resource from the archives which was the deed on Putnam Park. In the deed I got to know how Putnam Park track was first conveyed to the City of Eau Claire by Henry C. Putnam and there are many information recited as how Putnam Park was officially launched. From here I was interested on lands that was not part of Putnam Park but played a role in establishing Putnam Park. I provided answer about what happened to lands that was not covered by Putnam Park deed. This is a very useful information because it broadened my thinking that there are many other factor involved which made Putnam Park a historical park in Wisconsin. The next source that I found was important and interesting about Putnam Park Committee. To know about a certain place for instance Putnam Park, we should at least know about people who contributed to this park. For a start I found information on how and why Putnam Park was transferred from the City of Eau Claire to the State of Wisconsin. There are more to research on if I want to have a full and clear understanding on the committee of Putnam Park and this will lead to a better understanding on how Putnam Park was established. I would further my research on other component of Putnam Park for example, the trail of Putnam Park, provide some pictures of how Putnam Park looks like, the importance in protecting this park, etc. I’m excited to find out and learn new information on Putnam Park.

(Transfer of Putnam Park to the State of Wisconsin)

            I found this very interesting primary resource which is an archival collection in McIntyre Library at UWEC. There were several papers that discussed about Putnam Park Committee in this folder that I found, but I selected this one source that has information about the transfer of Putnam Park to the State of Wisconsin which interest me. This source I found was dated on February 6, 1957 and was written by President of Putnam Park W.R. Davies. This is a very useful source that I selected because it has information that will make my understanding better on how Putnam Park Committee was created and what are the reasons Putnam Park was transferred to the State of Wisconsin.

            This source has timely kairos which increase the credibility of the information. This is because, I would like to know what happened way back in the history of Putnam Park and by providing the date of the source that I selected enables me to relay on the information that is provided by the source. Moreover, by having President W. R. Davies signature at the end of the source increases my invented ethos on the information that I’m going to provide in this post.

            This source that I selected discusses about the reasons on the transfer of Putnam Park to the State of Wisconsin from the City of Eau Claire. There are a total of six reason why Putnam Park was transferred. First, Since the State College which is UWEC (University of Wisconsin Eau Claire) now is cut into half because of Putnam Park, it is more desirable to have a single campus with the park rather than a divided region. Second, teachers of all natural science and environmental studies and others will feel more responsible towards the protection of the park. Third, the State Highway Commission maintains the roads owned by the college, and would take this burden from the city if the park becomes state property. Fourth, the park does not have a botanical garden devoted to trees and natural phenomena like storm are destroying the remainings in the park. Therefore, the university authorities have expressed their interest in working with the college in the development and preservation of an arboretum such as the University has n its 500 acres in Madison. Fifth, there are anonymous articles accusing the college with bad purpose in acquiring the park. There are families and staff in the college are first of all residence of Eau Claire, and are proud of the park and its possibilities. No group could be more concerned about the preservation of the park said by Mr. Putnam. Last but not least, as far as the construction of buildings, parking lots, and trails is concerned, the college will represent the conservation point of view, and will protect the beauty, continuity, and preservation of the valuable natural property.

            This source provided strong reasons on why the park should be transferred to the State of Wisconsin from the City of Eau Claire. The reasons are also valid and make sense. Information in this source is very important because it has elements of protecting the park and it is a very serious measure for Putnam Park.

            I learned that protecting and preserving a park takes a lot of commitment. This source made me realize that to protect nature a community with responsible people for example, surrounding neighborhood, City of Eau Claire, State of Wisconsin, etc are essential. I am still not satisfied about the information about the community of Putnam Park and I would like to do more research and learn more about the community and how this park has been protected up till now.