Basic HTML Version
Natural History Museum
The natural history museum is displayed for the public in
the Calkins Interpretive Center. The museum contains
approximately 620 mounted specimens, and extensive egg
collection, along with many Native American artifacts, and
assorted rocks, minerals and fossils.
Calkins Interpretive Center
Dedicated to the citizens of Hardin County in 1996. It’s
purpose is to promote conservation education in Hardin County
and north central Iowa. A unique design of the center is a
geothermal temperature control. Underground pipelines use
heat from the ground in the winter, and are cooled during
the summer.. The building consists of a multi-purpose room
and kitchen that is available for rent, a laboratory/classroom
facility, gift shop, library/conference room, and a natural history
museum.
Pine Ridge Park
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources purchased this
131.9 acre area in 1977 from the Iowa River Conservation and
Improvement Club. The area is managed by the Hardin County
Conservation Board and is located on the west bank of the Iowa
River across from Steamboat Rock. The park includes an 8-
acre artificial lake, a rifle range with 24, 50, 100, and 200-yard
distances. A large camping area provides electrical outlets to
service over 40 campers. Primitive sites are also available. There
are toilet and shower facilities, water, an enclosed shelter house,
and boat ramp.
Daisy Long Memorial Park
East of Union this park was the original site of the first water
powered gristmill built in 1856, with some of the old foundation
still remaining. C.F. and Daisy V. Long donated the 7-acre park
to the Hardin County Conservation Board in 1963. Dr. Lloyd
Bates and his wife Rosa donated a 5-acre addition to the Hardin
CCB in 1999. This historical yet unique area offers camping,
fishing, and picnicking. The park consists of electrical outlets for
40 campsites, with primitive camping sites also available, a shelter
house, modern rest room/shower facility, dump station and boat
ramp.
Wildcat Trail north of Eldora.
Iowa’s County Conservation System
95