Charles De Langlade Recreation Area donations honored at dedication
September 26, 2024
County officials held a dedication ceremony Saturday afternoon of September 21, 2024, at the Charles De Langlade Recreation Area marking the completion of a bronze plaque and a park bench that were donated to the site by two former county board members.
The family of Bob Benishek, a long-serving board member, donated the bronze plaque, which pays homage to De Langlade himself, the fur trapper, trader, and military leader for whom the county was named.
The late Bob Curran, meanwhile, donated the bench for the recreation area, along with two other benches in the Gartzke Recreation Area and Jack Lake Campground.
According to Langlade County Forest Administrator Al Murray, both Bobs were on the county board when the property on which the Charles De Langlade Recreation Area now resides was purchased.
“It really dresses the area up,” Murray said of the donations, which he noted were not inexpensive. “It memorializes the people, but it also gives us things on the ground that we normally wouldn’t have. We wouldn’t have a big bronze plaque there. We’d probably be spending $500 on a picnic table rather than having a nice bronze plaque that tells the history of the place.”
The plaque about De Langlade notes that he was the son of Augustin Langlade, a French-Canadian fur trader, and a woman named Domitilde, a member of the Odawa Tribe.
“Langlade grew up in two worlds, learning about his French heritage while living in his native Odawa homelands and practicing Odawa traditions,” a portion of the inscription reads. “Langlade developed into one of the fiercest warriors in the great lakes, as well as an officer in the French army. Langlade fought in many wars during his lifetime, many of which were against the new government of the United States. He was also skilled in trade (business), as well as matters of diplomacy between nations and cultures.”
Murray said the area being named after De Langlade was largely due to Benishek.
“Mr. Benishek is very interested in history,” he said. “Originally, he pushed for it to be called Charles de Langlade Recreation Area, so that’s the big thing. He wanted the history of the county more involved in that area and that park.”
According to Becky Whiting, Benishek’s daughter, at the dedication, another plaque was also unveiled: one holding a poem Benishek wrote about the county’s founding.
“The county surprised my dad,” Whiting said. “They had basically given him a bronze sign also — including a verse that he had presented to the county at his last county board meeting. My dad was really humbled that they had presented a sign with this verse. I was overcome with gratitude to the county for providing that too. I’m very proud of my father for all his dedication to the county. Just driving up to the camp, he tells you everything along the way about how there’s certain springs over there and rivers over here…it’s amazing what he knows. I would say it’s his county, because I think he knows the county better than anyone.”
Murray said Benishek’s poem, like his family’s plaque about De Langlade, was particularly appropriate given that it celebrates public service.
“It’s all about the people that work for counties and towns and state government,” Murray said. “It’s called, ‘They Did It For You and Me.’ They don’t do things for themselves. They do it for everyone that uses the area. It goes all the way from the settlers to the current day. But really, if you read into it more, everyone that works to build a community builds not because they’re getting notoriety or whatever else. They do it because that’s what they want to do for the community.”
In addition to Murray and other county officials, Senator Mary Felzkowski, as well as the Benishek and Curran families, attended the ceremony.
Curran’s family could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
September 26, 2024
Author:
Danny Spatchek
Source:
Antigo Daily Journal
County officials held a dedication ceremony Saturday afternoon of September 21, 2024, at the Charles De Langlade Recreation Area marking the completion of a bronze plaque and a park bench that were donated to the site by two former county board members.
The family of Bob Benishek, a long-serving board member, donated the bronze plaque, which pays homage to De Langlade himself, the fur trapper, trader, and military leader for whom the county was named.
The late Bob Curran, meanwhile, donated the bench for the recreation area, along with two other benches in the Gartzke Recreation Area and Jack Lake Campground.
According to Langlade County Forest Administrator Al Murray, both Bobs were on the county board when the property on which the Charles De Langlade Recreation Area now resides was purchased.
“It really dresses the area up,” Murray said of the donations, which he noted were not inexpensive. “It memorializes the people, but it also gives us things on the ground that we normally wouldn’t have. We wouldn’t have a big bronze plaque there. We’d probably be spending $500 on a picnic table rather than having a nice bronze plaque that tells the history of the place.”
The plaque about De Langlade notes that he was the son of Augustin Langlade, a French-Canadian fur trader, and a woman named Domitilde, a member of the Odawa Tribe.
“Langlade grew up in two worlds, learning about his French heritage while living in his native Odawa homelands and practicing Odawa traditions,” a portion of the inscription reads. “Langlade developed into one of the fiercest warriors in the great lakes, as well as an officer in the French army. Langlade fought in many wars during his lifetime, many of which were against the new government of the United States. He was also skilled in trade (business), as well as matters of diplomacy between nations and cultures.”
Murray said the area being named after De Langlade was largely due to Benishek.
“Mr. Benishek is very interested in history,” he said. “Originally, he pushed for it to be called Charles de Langlade Recreation Area, so that’s the big thing. He wanted the history of the county more involved in that area and that park.”
According to Becky Whiting, Benishek’s daughter, at the dedication, another plaque was also unveiled: one holding a poem Benishek wrote about the county’s founding.
“The county surprised my dad,” Whiting said. “They had basically given him a bronze sign also — including a verse that he had presented to the county at his last county board meeting. My dad was really humbled that they had presented a sign with this verse. I was overcome with gratitude to the county for providing that too. I’m very proud of my father for all his dedication to the county. Just driving up to the camp, he tells you everything along the way about how there’s certain springs over there and rivers over here…it’s amazing what he knows. I would say it’s his county, because I think he knows the county better than anyone.”
Murray said Benishek’s poem, like his family’s plaque about De Langlade, was particularly appropriate given that it celebrates public service.
“It’s all about the people that work for counties and towns and state government,” Murray said. “It’s called, ‘They Did It For You and Me.’ They don’t do things for themselves. They do it for everyone that uses the area. It goes all the way from the settlers to the current day. But really, if you read into it more, everyone that works to build a community builds not because they’re getting notoriety or whatever else. They do it because that’s what they want to do for the community.”
In addition to Murray and other county officials, Senator Mary Felzkowski, as well as the Benishek and Curran families, attended the ceremony.
Curran’s family could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
