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RETZER NATURE CENTER

Waukesha County Park System

Location:
Town of Genesee, Section 1; Town of Delafield
Section 36; Town of Waukesha, Section 6
Address:
S14 W28167 Madison Street, Waukesha
Size:
483 Acres

Acquisition History:
• 1973- Donation Florence Horn Retzer
Estate 90.1 acres
• 1980- Purchased August Sigurdson
24.6 acres
• 1984- Donation Bryce Styza Kames
Terrace, 229.6 acres (formerly the
Brown family farm)
• 1999- Purchase Owen Williams 68.7 Site Characteristics:
acres
• 74 acre Land dedication from the This is a 413-acre educational facility with rolling hills, open
Howell Farms Estate Subdivision fields, woodlands, and wetlands including Brown’s Fen, a
Proposed Acquisition: locally significant natural area. Retzer Nature Center is
• 625 Acres located near the center of Waukesha County. Retzer
• Land on the southwest includes a Nature Center’s natural landscape has been accented by
wooded hillside management of quality natural lands and re-establishment
• Land that is part of the Kames Terrace of others areas. Planting or re-establishment examples of
Subdivision mesic prairie, dry mesic prairie, mid-grass prairie, xeric
Events: prairie, prairie catena and old-field areas are found within
• Apple Harvest Festival - September the Retzer property. The land also has examples of pine
• Howl-O-Ween Event – October plantations, meadows, thickets, wet forests, shallow/deep
• JanBoree at Retzer – January
• Wild Winter Night – February marsh and a fen.
• Earth Week Events - April
The Nature Center focuses on environmental education,
natural land management, community restoration, and
wildlife habitat improvement. A colorful butterfly and rain
garden, a compost demonstration area, a children’s garden
and an oak opening demonstration area greets visitors and
complements the education center. The Waukesha School
District constructed the Charles Z. Horwitz Planetarium in
conjunction with the Learning Center Expansion.

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