Putnam Park is a 230-acre (0.93 km2) state natural area owned by the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. The park is located in the middle of the city of Eau Claire and follows the course of both the Chippewa River to the west and Minnie Creek to the east. Much of the park lies on the boundary of the Third Ward neighborhood. The park sits directly south of a steep section of Harding Avenue, once called "Plank Street Hill."
The park is administered by Putnam Park Commission, a body composed of representatives from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, the Eau Claire City Council, and the community at large.[1]