Pages 272 thru 279  

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

CHAPTER XLIX

PARKS
 

_GREEN fields and woodland tracts were too plentiful and too near in the days when Decatur was given its first park for it to be fully appreciated, but seventy-five years later Decatur citizens are glad that it once had a resident so far-sighted and so generous as to make that park possible.

Central park - Decatur's first park - was given to the city July 10, 1855, by Captain David L. Allen and Dr. Thomas H. Read, the donors specifying that it was to be used for no other purpose than a public ground and common park.  For twenty years it was nothing more than a public square, surrounded by hitching racks.  Once it was rough and hilly, covered with brush and weeds, the "worst place for snakes I ever saw", said one early resident.

Gradually the hollows were filled, as dirt was hauled in from excavations for new buildings in the neighborhood.  In 1859 a number of trees were set out.

Now it was a lovely spot of green, with grassy level ground and plenty of shade, a place where people may rest, and kind of a place the donors had in mind many years ago.

CENTRAL PARK IN EARLY DAYS, ABOUT 1865

The square is a part of what was platted as the "North addition to Decatur" in April, 1837, but it became known as the Allen, McReynolds & Co.'s addition, and that name appears in all realty transactions.  The addition is bounded by North, Broadway, Wood and Water streets.  Other members of the company which platted it besides David L. Allen, were Dr. Thomas H. Read, brother-in-law to Captain Allen, and James McReynolds.

FOUNTAIN IN CENTRAL PARK
(1877 - 1930)

When the square was laid out, it was in the mind of Captain Allen to give it to the railroad companies, then being proposed, to be used as a site for a depot.  The railroads failed to materialize then, and later the offer to donate it for a park was made.   After it came into possession of the city, the city council had the hitching racks built around it for the benefit of the farmers.  In those days it was called "the new square."

Real improvement of the park did not begin until June 1876, when the hitching racks were removed, and gravel walks wee laid.  Then it was decided to install a fountain.  The fountain was purchased that year by Lowber Burrows at the centennial exposition in Philadelphia.  On July 2, 1877, after the fountain had been placed and work about the park completed, the council adopted a resolution to name the square Central park, and it was opened "for the enjoyment of the public" July 3, 1877.  The fountain stood in the park until 1930 when it was moved to the waterworks grounds to make room for the M. L. Harry memorial.

The first custodian for the park was appointed in 1892.  The park commissioners were appointed by the mayor then as follows:  J. E. Bering, Peter Loeb, Lowber Burrows.

OTHER PARK SPACES

Decatur had other places which served the purpose of parks in the early days.

Greenwood cemetery, with its pretty natural surroundings, used to draw many visitors in the first few years after it was opened.  It was within easy walking distance of the town, was well laid out with walks and drives, and well provided with shade.  After an objective point for a Sunday afternoon stroll or drive it grew into popularity, and it was not until other parks had been opened that it began to lose that popularity.

Another place that took the place of a park for a good many years for the north end of town was King's Orchard, in the vicinity of King and Marietta streets.

Nick Webber's beer garden was popular for a number of years -- that is, with a certain class of people.  During the days of the rolling mill in the '70s, it was frequented by the men from that mill.  It was located between Franklin street and the Illinois Central railroad about where Cantrell street would be, if extended west.  Being remote from the built up section of the city, there was no one to complain about wild parties, fights and noisy carousals.  Those were taken more as a matter of course than they would be now.  There was always something doing when excursions were run from Terre Haute, and that city sent over a bunch of pleasure seekers.  The beer garden was a side issue of the Webber brewery.  It existed for a number of years, but finally was sold.

The tree covered Johns land south of the hill was not a public park, but was used by many as a picture ground, and many Fourth of July and other gatherings were held there.  Because it was used by the public so many years, Mrs. Jane M. Johns decided to donate it to the city for park.  Eighteen acres are in the tract donated.  It is now known as Johns Hill park.

Bramble's pleasure garden, adjoining the Imboden land, immediately north of Greenwood cemetery, consisted of six and one-half acres, with natural attractions.  It was well advertised and patronized during the '70s as a place for outings.  Ice cream parlor, bath house, mineral springs, and skating rink were available for the patrons.

Oakland park, now the James Millikin University grounds, was sponsored by the Citizens Street Railway company, which built a horse car line out West Main street to the Wabash tracks.  This park was the scene of many temperance and other big meetings in the '80s and '90s.

For twenty years the Decatur Trotting association, organized in 1890, maintained a park for annual race meets on the Brenneman land at the present intersection of Broadway and Garfield avenue.  These meets brought huge crowds of racing enthusiasts and noted horsemen.  George A. Keller was one of the secretaries that did much to make the meets successful.

In 1890 fifty acres of the Maffit and Starr & Mills land along the Sangamon was set aside as a park, known as Riverside park, which was leased by the Decatur Electric Railway company.  A car line was run to the entrance, where the corner of Silas street and Riverside avenue is now.  It was extremely popular for a number of years, having much natural attractiveness, as well as entertainment facilities.

Boating, bathing, picnics, water carnivals, chautauquas, skating, had fifty boats on the river, and there were other privately owned boars, including three steamboats.  Often excursions were run to this Decatur park from other cities.

FAIRVIEW

The original forty acres of what is now Fairview park were laid out in 1857 as a fairground for the Macon County Agricultural society.  Deeds transferring the land were not made out until 1863.  The deed for the east twenty acres was dated March 26, 1863, and was given by the executors of the estate of William L. Powers.  The consideration was $600.  The deed for the west twenty acres was given May 2, 1863, by Christian J. Barrackman, consideration being $150.

A tight board fence was erected around the entire forty acres.  The land then was all in timber, and enough ground was cleared to make room for buildings.  The buildings erected included an ampitheater with 5,000 seating capacity, farm products hall, 40 by 100 feet, mechanical and industrial hall 40 by 60 feet, fine arts hall in octagonal shape, 40 feet in diameter, stalls for 500 cattle and pens for 500 hogs.

Good water supply was furnished by six springs on the grounds.

The Macon County Agricultural society was organized June 28, 1856, with E. A. Jones as president; William Rea, as vice president; William Martin, treasurer; James P. Boyd, secretary; and Samuel Powers, Jacob Hostetler, J. G. Taylor  and D. K. Wilson as directors.

AMPITHEATER IN OLD FAIR GROUNDS

The first fair was held Oct. 9 - 10, 1856, and from that time until 1884, county fairs were held each year, with the exception of 1863, 1864, 1869 and 1870, when Illinois state fairs were held on the grounds.¹

In 1869 the society sold the grounds to Macon county for $5,600.  The deed was signed by James H. Pickrell, president, and James C. Lake, secretary.

Mayor M. F. Kanan suggested in 1890 that the county lease the grounds to the city of Decatur for a park.  He aroused sentiment in favor of the idea, and the matter also was agitated by The Review.  On March 27, that year, a lease was signed.  The city took possession April 1.  Terms agreed on were $100 a year for the first ten years, $200 a year for the second ten, and $250 a year for the third ten.

A voting contest to name the park was inaugurated by The Review, and 135 names were submitted.  Fairview, with 3,224 votes and Columbia, with 3,084, were the two most popular names.²

Within the next few years after the city took possession of the park, considerable improvement was made.  The pavilion and custodian's home were erected.  Drainage, water, drives, and provided.  In 1900 W. C. Hood, landscape gardener, was employed to lay out and beautify the grounds.  From $2,000 to $3,000 a year was being spent on improvements.  This was the first work of Frank D. Torrence, who became superintendent July 12, 1901, serving until his death, Jan. 13, 1928.  His career was remarkable for the generous and whole hearted way he gave his whole life to the city's service.

ENTRANCE TO FAIRVIEW PARK, 1908

In 1903 the city purchased the land from the county, paying $8,000 for the forty acres.  In 1905 the ten acres to the east, known as the Catto tract, were added, the purchase price being $7,000.  The addition to the west, formerly the Dreamland amusement park, a tract of ten acres, was bought in 1919.  Another tract to the west was bought from the I. P. and L., and thirty-eight acres along Stevens creek were added in 1928, being bought from the Taggart heirs, at $250 an acre.  These various additions brought the acreage of Fairview park up to a total of 121.25.

SCENE IN FAIRVIEW
In the days when signs read "Hitch Here" instead of "Park Here"

The Dreamland amusement park was established in 1905 by the Decatur Amusement company, and Fred Given was named manager.  A score of citizens subscribed the $40,000 invested.  Ten acres were bought from E. S. Baker.  A theater, dance pavilion, roller coaster, etc., were built.

DREAMLAND PARK SCENE
<Click Here for Additional Picture of Dreamland Park Scene added by Sharon Wick)

For seven years the park was operated, but it was not a success financially.  In 1919 the city bought the land and added it to Fairview.

OTHER PARKS

Lincoln park was purchased by the city in 1905.  The gift of two additional small tracts, one by B. B. Tuttle and the other by Mrs. Caroline Powers gave the park a total acreage of twenty-two.

In February, 1911, the city purchased fourteen acres in the northeast section of the city for a park, and it was named Torrence park in honor of Park Superintendent Frank Torrence.  The name was chosen by popular vote.  Five acres were added in 1924.

Garfield park, two acres, in East Main street, was donated to the city by J. M. Clokey in 1892, when he laid out East Park Boulevards addition, but was not developed until in 1912.

Nelson park came into possession of the city in 1912.  The original tract, 83 acres, was not bought outright at first.  J. S. Baldwin, then city attorney, submitted a proposition that the land be leased from its owner, E. Wayne Ponting, at $2,000 a year for ten years, with option of buying at any time within the ten years for $20,000, the rental previously paid to be applied on the purchase price.  The proposition was accepted by the council.  After five years the land was bought.  This park, like others, was named by a voting contest in The Review, the public choosing in that way to honor Judge William E. Nelson.

Creation of the Decatur park district was brought about by the offer April 27, 1924, of Mrs. L. P. Walbridge and Mrs. E. P. Irving to donate Faries park to the city, in accordance with the wishes of their father, Robert Faries.  The condition was made that a park district be organized to take over management of that property as well as all city parks.

An election was held on Aug. 5, 1924, to vote on establishing a park district, boundaries of which would coincide with the boundaries of Decatur township.  The proposition carried by a vote of 4,061 to 321.  The park commissioners name at that election were:  George A. Caldwell, James H. Galloway, George F. Hess, Howard C. Schaub and W. Elmer White.  When Mr. White left the city, John McEvoy was selected to succeed him.  The board elected Mr. Schaub as president of park land.  At the present time (1930) the park board controls more than 800 acres.  A summary of the acreage, cost, and estimated value of the parks is given here:

----------------------------

1.  One of the features of the 1858 fair, as reported by the secretary, James Shoaff, was the horseback riding by thirteen members of the fair sex, "all of whom rode gracefully, with much ease, and creditably to themselves.

2.  The name, Fairview, was suggested by Mrs. Helen W. Martin, wife of E. J. Martin, then manager of the "Short Line railway", as the Decatur electric was known.  The name was a combination, as one may see.

<PREVIOUS>    <NEXT>

<CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS>