Edness K. Wilkins State Park, on the North Platte River east of Casper, occupies the site of a former rock quarry and now provides public recreation including picnicking, boating, fishing, swimming, and bird watching. Wyoming bought the 361-acre property in 1981 and named it for Edness Kimball Wilkins, a local resident who served 25 years in the state legislature. The river setting also gives the park wildlife importance. The Audubon Society designated it an Important Bird Area because of its heavy use during spring and fall migration and the large numbers of common nesting birds found there. It is managed by the Wyoming Division of State Parks and Historic Sites.