Site history
The Westbrook Artists' Site address is 2325 Holliwell Bridge Road, Winterset, IA 50273 - the entrance to the site is a mile away right next to the east end of the Holliwell Covered Bridge. The exact map location is inaccurate but please use the Bridge for reference to the actual entrance. Autumn Zen of the bridge fall 2017.
5/28/22 - Work around the main pond intensified in the fall with burning around the riparian buffer. A massive amount of invasive honeysuckle was removed and burned over the winter. The ground was modestly prepped due to the challenge of removing old fence line, debris and new shoots. A native prairie seed mix has been sowed in along with a series of new apple trees to join the two wild ones at the south end of the pond.
Holliwell Covered Bridge (named after settler, George Halliwell)
Great story from the Oct. 13th 1915 edition of the Winterset Reporter about a community event held at the WAS property (Robbins Farm)
The Young People's society pulled off something new last week, which they called a honey hunt. It was not a matrimonial excursion, but literally what Its name describes. By hayrack in the afternoon and by automobiles at 6 pm., a company of more than 35 went out to the Robbins farm near the covered bridge over the Middle river.
A huge camp-fire of butternut trees built and weenles, sweet potatoes, corn and apples were roasted for supper. But the real thing was the honey hunt. A huge basswood tree had been located by the Alexanders, who are working the farm, which was the home of a swarm of bees. Luckily for the company, the bees, though furious at the sack of their home, were too much chilled by the cold to fly well or to use their bayonets. Barga Worthing got one under his vest; but no one was stung. The honey was delicious and fragrant as only the wild product Is. It proved the opportunity of a life time to many; for many con fessed that they had all their life wanted to see a bee tree cut down and take alI the honey.
Round the roaring camp-fire, kept in good trim by the popular captain. of our local mllltia company, many a jolly song was sung and pity doled out to those "tender-feet", who feared the bracing cold of that splendid night.
The society wishes to express their gratitude to Mr. Alexander and his son, Paul, for their generosity in giving us the tree and the stalwart arm that cut it down.
The society is planning a great Halloween social that will eclipse anything that has been pulled off.
Settlement of Westbrook Artists' Site 1846-7
John Wilkinson and his family where the first European Settlers to stake a claim on the land that would become Westbrook. They built their home next to a creek that appears to be at one or two forks of the creek that eventually leads to the Middle River near the Holliwell Bridge Road. The fork is about 3/4 of a mile to a mile from the bridge itself where it appears the Wilkinson's settled. One of the forks begins just off the WAS property and now in a corn field that has been terraced and re-routed the creek. Settlers who had timberplots or homesteads on the current WAS property include: George Halliwell, C. Ambrest, E. Beall, W.W. McKnight, S. Welch, F. Peabody, D. Hemly, John Dryden, and George Breeding.
John Wilkinson and his family where the first European Settlers to stake a claim on the land that would become Westbrook. They built their home next to a creek that appears to be at one or two forks of the creek that eventually leads to the Middle River near the Holliwell Bridge Road. The fork is about 3/4 of a mile to a mile from the bridge itself where it appears the Wilkinson's settled. One of the forks begins just off the WAS property and now in a corn field that has been terraced and re-routed the creek. Settlers who had timberplots or homesteads on the current WAS property include: George Halliwell, C. Ambrest, E. Beall, W.W. McKnight, S. Welch, F. Peabody, D. Hemly, John Dryden, and George Breeding.
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Westbrook Artists' Site (c. 1920-40) The Holliwell School
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WAS - (c. 1890) The Holliwell or Hoosier Prairie School
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WAS was one of the sites for a traditional rural school house. The names of the children from the photo in the 1890s was attached to the image above. The building was sold and moved off the site in the middle of the century. Image on the right is from 1956.
The schools cistern (11/18)
Holliwell School 1890/2020. For the Holliwell School project see ArchitectureXLandscape 2020
Holliwell School Site 09/22/20
WAS site images
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For Lands Sake! members on tour and Rosalee Johnson long time native ecology advocate, mentor and practitioner.
For Lands Sake! at WAS for Forest Bathing 6/26/21
10/03/19 - Crib
09/12/19 - Evening and crib
09/08/19 Golden rod and Osage Orange.
7/21/19 - Evening with working in progress on the barn.
WAS 4/18/19 - Woodland well
WAS 02/07/19 - Waterfall
WAS 01/19
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Northbrook pond 01/07/19
WAS (at Northbrook) 01/07/19 Root cellar
Christmas morning 2018
WAS 11/25/18 - Barn and crib
WAS - 03/14/20 Wild apple
WAS 03/15/19 - Osage Orange
WAS - 01/12/19 Osage Orange
WAS 11/24/18 - Osage Orange
WAS - 01/12/19 Wild apple
WAS 11/08/18 Wild apple tree in the fence line
WAS 11/01/18 - Wild apple tree in the fence line
WAS 11/08/18 Osage Orange
WAS 10/27/18 Osage Orange sunset
WAS - 10/20/18 - Sunset in the forest among the ironwood and hickory
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WAS 10/11/18 Along the river bank after high water event a line either applied or exposed. The right image show a violet in bloom along the line.
WAS 09/28/18 - New fall plantings include Elderberry (from Iowa Native Tree and Shrub)
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The old homestead has been gone for 30 years but a good number of the plantings that used to flank it are still thriving.
WAS - 05/27/18 Spiderwort
WAS 05/014/18 - Aronia berry in bloom
New plantings including Red Currant (foreground) 05/14/18
WAS 05/06/18 - Wild Crabapple
WAS - 05/18 One of the new American Plums from Iowa Native Trees and Shrubs (Mike Bevins) starting to embrace spring.
WAS - 04/24/18 Small prairie plot burns.
WAS - 04/24/18 - A Bloodroot has lured in Bombylius major (a bee mimic) long the creek. Bloodroot propagates by ants and does not provide bees and friends nectar or pollen.
WAS - 04/18/18
WAS - 04/15/18
The numerous spring fed creeks were considered a significant asset at the time of settlement.
K.Lair, 3/17
Westbrook Artists' Site - site of one of the first claims in Scott Township and Madison County in 1846-7.
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Creek crossing
K.Lair, 2/17
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After burn '17
The barn at WAS was built pre-1930s with estimate around 1920. We have done some adaptive reuse of the interior as evidence of work from March 2018 on the upper loft area over a built out room that was once an area for milking cattle.
Prairie Swatch - Mulberry x 4
Prairie Palette
Our prairie palette is a collection of colors sampled directly from Westbrook featuring native ecology and some exotics. We will be adding them over time to our site page and hopefully incorporating them into future projects.
Daily and seasonal variations are some of the factors that will provide for multiple iterations of plant swatches. The swatch Mulberry x 4 is a selection of color from a mix of berries at the end of a particular branch in July '15. Mulberry trees are common at WAS although the white Mulberry tree is less common.
Daily and seasonal variations are some of the factors that will provide for multiple iterations of plant swatches. The swatch Mulberry x 4 is a selection of color from a mix of berries at the end of a particular branch in July '15. Mulberry trees are common at WAS although the white Mulberry tree is less common.
Firepit
WAS has been investing in native ecology and rehabilitation through prescribed burns. Fire plays and essential role for native ecology and fire suppression has led to the loss of much habitat and diversity. The construction of firepits plays a rather different role than the burns for prairie, savanna and woodland rehabilitation. It enables us to clear some of the brush effectively but they are really for the enjoyment of the place. The pleasure of the small act of building a fire, tending it and feeling its presence during the transition from day to evening is its own reward.
Storm work
On the late evening and morning of May 16th and 17th (2015) high winds damaged area property including downing large branches and trees. A mature oak tree located in a creek valley was leveled at the root base. We were not able to recover the wood (which needs to be collected within 48 hours or the color will change) for conventional use. We are using an axe to chop up part of it and will be exploring other potential uses for this tree. Another large oak tree also lost a major branch and we will also collect it for potential creative exploration.
WAS 5/15
K. Lair. WASx16_MAR_0180, 2016
K. Lair. WASx16_MAR_0165, 2016
K. Lair, WASx16_MAR_0165, 2016