Some History

Prospect Gardens cover areas around the ramps to the Southwest Commuter Path at Prospect Street. Prospect Street is a split street. South Prospect is in the Dungeon Monroe Neighborhood and North Prospect, across the Path, is in the Regent Neighborhood. Both neighborhood associations support our gardening efforts.

Prospect Street has been split since both neighborhoods were created from farm fields. The Dungeon Monroe Neighborhood was developed in the early to mid 1920's with our house built in 1926.

Parts of Regent, notably University Heights, were developed earlier.  A young Frank Llyod Wright designed the  "The Airplane" house located in the Heights. University professors were the first residents of the Heights.

A few days ago while biking I spotted the artifact pictured above about three miles west of Prospect Gardens. I never noticed this relic of a by gone transportation system even though I frequently head west on the Path. Sometimes I go as far as the head of the Badger State Trail. West of the Beltline overpass the path becomes really flat which pleases my aging body.

No  longer hid by weeds I could see the artifact off the path. You probably can guess that it's an old railroad tie and a steel plate. Somebody forgot to pick up it when the railroad tracks were torn up as a first step in developing the commuter path.

 The commuter path officially opened on July 28, 2001. For several years the railroad was abandoned.  I sometimes walked to my University office following the tracks stepping from tie to tie. To Emily, my daughter, steps down to the abandoned tracks and other spots were places of refuge and solitude that she would retreat to.  She missed this refuge after the path was opened.  Being mindful of the bikers as well as the runners, walkers, skateboarders, and roller bladders is now essential. You may also encounter an occasional unicyclist, as I did a few days ago.

A train still came through about once a week in 1986, the year we moved into the neighborhood. It was a humble train with an engine and one car usually with lumber.  As we heard the train approaching, Emily and I, (if I was home) and other kids would run down Prospect. Getting to the steps we watched the train as it slowly rambled along on its way to the Brunsell Lumber Company, just the south of the Beltline. One time, two neighbor boys, Sam and Alex, placed pennies on the track and joyfully collected their flattened treasures after the train passed.

Old timers in the neighborhood told me about steam trains with many cars slowly making their way West through the neighborhood. As kids, they too could hear the train approaching. They would run to the bridge over Prospect Street to experience the thrill of being engulfed by the train's steam as it passed under the bridge. Sometimes the whistle would blow which added to the excitement.

 I am tempted to bring the relic to Prospect Gardens as reminder of the path's history. Ah yes another project for another day.... perhaps... maybe.