Spring Lake Mink Ranch

Today's sighting confirms what I thought I saw last night--a mink swimming out to the large island. Is it a vestige of the mink farm once owned by the Hansche brothers? Who knows, but before I had a chance to grab a camera, I saw it standing on our brick retaining wall, not more than 10 feet away. I'm convinced this was an American Mink--the same type that the Hansche family raised for its fur. Those of you with Racine roots may have heard about or remember the mink ranch. 

The following is from a 1999 article in the Journal Times titled "Hansche Pond Tidbits"...

"German-born Rudolph Hansche came to America in 1841 and eventually bought farmland in the area that now bears his name. 

Around 1942, the Hansche brothers started the Spring Lake Mink Ranch between the large pond and Lathrop Avenue. 

At one time, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources used the ponds as a fish hatchery."

looks almost like a cat from this perspective...but this was NOT a cat!

making its way along the shoreline