Friends of McGilvray
Friends of Wisconsin Natural Resources
What is a Friends group?
A Friends group is a group of people who have an interest in Wisconsin’s natural resources and who volunteer their time, services and support in order to enhance Wisconsin’s natural areas.
What do Friends groups do?
Every year Friends groups provide thousands of volunteer hours to help support the mission and activities of their associated State Department of Natural Resources.
About the Friends of McGilvray Road, Inc. and Their Work
The FMR was incorporated in 1989 as a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization. It was established to form a partnership with the WI Dept. of Natural Resources for the purpose of maintaining the Old McGilvray Road and the five remaining Horton bridges.
Nineteen ninety-seven marked the 100th anniversary of the patenting of Charles Horton’s bowstring arch truss bridges and the dedication of the restored and refurbished McGilvray roadway project.
The Friends can indeed be proud. In less than a decade, they saved some of the most beautiful iron bridges in the country and improved access into a priceless bottom land hardwood forest. Since their incorporation in 1989, the Friends have been innovative and creative in raising funds to repair a roadway and bridges that had been virtually destroyed by years of neglect and the ravages of countless Black River floods.
The Friends sold everything from buttons and caps to T-shirts and memberships. Their finest hour was recruiting two local nationally known wildlife artists, Arthur Anderson and Michael Klafke, to create a series of bridge-with-wildlife paintings. The edition prints sold out quickly and provided most of the funds for the very costly road and bridge repairs. Copies of the prints are still available in the form of stationery cards. See the Anderson-Klafke link above for information on prints for sale from present owners (bottom of that page).
Working Together
In cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources, through funding, personnel and equipment, the Friends completed most of the urgent and heavy-duty projects by winter 1996-97. Bridge #6 (above) was raised from its twisted resting place on the bottom of the Black River, repaired, then lowered onto new pilings.
On other bridges, abutments and approaches were constructed and the decking replaced. Dennis Grokowsky oversaw the casting and placement of countless pieces of metal. A remarkable feat had been accomplished.
The Bridge 5 site is the former location of the Wooden King Post Bridge which fell victim to the elements in 1986. In 1996 the Friends located an historic low truss iron bridge from Pierce County to take its place.
It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t cheap but Swanson’s Heavy Moving Company of La Crosse snaked it through the swamp then gently lowered it into place onto its’ newly constructed supports as its’ own supports were left in Pierce County. It was then painted orange and restored to its original condition. Hikers now had the ability to continue onto Bridge 6 and then to the Main Channel of the Black River.
The Friends and their Work
Much has been done by the Friends to provide a “one-of-a-kind” outdoor recreation area for the people of the upper Midwest. Wooden planks have now replaced the concrete decking on all of the bridges, which will decrease the stress on the bridges. The trail is open to the banks of the Black River. But the work is not over. Seasonal high water requires some repairs and maintenance. An Endowment Fund has been established to help provide funding for such an event.
Help us to continue our work by making a donation. The non-profit organization accepts memberships at any time. See the Making a Difference page to see how to join as a funding member, donate your time to improve facilities, or participate on the board.
Our Story
The Friends published a book called The Historic McGilvray Bridges and The Friends who Saved Them. The 70 page book is based on a manuscript by retired DNR manager, Ray Kyro. Ray’s manuscript was brought to print by Mariel Carlisle.
Copies are available at the Winding Rivers library system, including La Crosse, Homen and Onalaska.
Take home a bit of history while also supporting the Friends. Copies are available for sale at the following locations, for $15.00.
Holland Town Hall, W7937 County Road MH, Holmen, WI 54636
Holmen Village Hall, P.O. Box 158, 421 S. Main Street, Holmen, WI 54636
Van Loon Animal Hospital, W7683 Old Hwy 93, Holmen, WI 54636
MCS Networks Inc., Computer Service Center, 306 N Holmen Dr, Holmen, WI 54636