By Robert Lucke
by Robert Lucke
The Havre Daily News
Friday, May 14
Beaver Creek Park and the users of the park from all over are the recipients of a brand new campground and shelter house thanks to the hard work and generosity of the Hagener family of Havre.
The campground is comprised of around six private camping areas along with a shelter house by the side of Beaver Creek.
The octagonal shelter is approximately 20 feet in diameter, Toni Hagener said. The shelter and campground is in memory of professor of botany Louis W. Hagener, who taught at Northern Montana College for over 40 years. Louis Hagener served on the Hill County Park Board for over 15 years, did extensive surveys of plants in this area and published several booklets on plant identification and plant uses.
The shelter located in the Hagener Campground area of Beaver Creek Park was designed and built by Hageners son, L.I. Hagener, with help from family members Toni, Jeff, and Ryan Hagener and friends Jim Bachini, Doug Golden, Dave Moliter, Dick Hanson, Pete Kuhr family, Billie Jo Dahl and Park Superintendent Bernie Golie and his wife, Donna.
There has been lots of use of the new campground and shelter already.
There were people out here camping while we were building the shelter, said Lou Hagener. I remember one time we came out to work on the roof and campers in the area helped out with the project.
The shelter area and campground is located just south of the Jaycee campground. It is almost a hidden campground sheltered by a high knoll to the west and huge trees and bushes all around. Entrance to the campground is marked by a sign just south of the Jaycee and Rotary campgrounds.
One of the newest campgrounds in the park, the site was chosen by park board members and the Hagener family. The family contributed the funds and manpower to construct the shelter.
The site is small enough not to require special reservations to use it. It can be used on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The Hageners wanted the shelter to be built to withstand lots of use.
Having a cement floor for the shelter, we wanted the shelter to be as damage proof as possible, said Toni Hagener. And we built the shelter sides to really be tables so people can serve food and even cook all around the shelter, not just in one spot.
The campground is a feast in itself.
The shelter and campground is surrounded by serviceberries, hawberries, gooseberries, currents, and chokecherries, added Toni Hagener.
An added feature of the private campgrounds is its proximity to great Bear Paw hiking. Located not even a quarter mile from the Mount Otis trail head, it offers easy access to that popular Beaver Creek Park trail. It offers close access to portions of the Beaver Creek trail as well.
There are dreams for future construction in the campground.
We have been told that the park will place one of the half moon bridges over Beaver Creek from this campground to Jaycee Park, Toni Hagener said.
With the campground and shelter memorial to Professor Hagener, his family has provided area campers and picnickers with one of the nicest, most private and sheltered campgrounds in Beaver Creek Park.
