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Parks of San Angelo; A Human History
Topic Started: 3 Apr 2010, 21:41 (118 Views)
Falcon
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Mistress of Mayhem
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Parks in San Angelo have an interesting and unique history. The first recorded mention of a park in San Angelo was in the San Angelo Standard (assumedly by the Editor) on October 29, 1887. This mention may sound odd to local residents, then and now, since San Angelo was barely much of a town and wide open spaces were quite abundant. However, what is most interesting, is that the property mentioned (from the vicinity of Caddo Street to Chadbourne Street along the north and east banks of the North Concho River and along the river plains) is known to us now, mostly, as Santa Fe Park. Those who are familiar with local history remember how this property was finally acquired in 1913, 26 years later.

Although there was early talk of “park development” in the first residential plats, such as the Ellis Addition, it took sixteen more years for a park to become a reality in San Angelo. The turn of the 19th Century saw continued progress in the growth of San Angelo and the City finally incorporated in 1903.

As the City grew, trash and construction debris began to be a problem, especially downtown. The edges of town, including the future Santa Fe Park and other undeveloped properties, began to be used as dumping grounds. City Council helped to address this problem by establishing a “city dumping ground” west of the city limits (located mostly where Kiwanis Park is now) and by burying refuse on various “city‐owned” properties.

Mr. S. W. Merchant, an early San Angelo businessman, and Mr. John Loomis, an early rancher, approached City Council to donate some of their property downtown to the City on condition the City clean up the properties and accept them as a park. The City Council agreed and on May 10, 1903, the City got its first park. The City abated the refuse nuisance on the properties but they remained a public park in name only.

The first true park development in San Angelo did not begin at City Park. This honor goes to “U. G. Taylor Park.” If you’ve never heard of “U. G. Taylor Park?” Don’t worry, most folks haven’t. “U. G. Taylor Park” is known to us now as “Civic League” Park and most know it simply as the “water lily park.”

If any one person should take the credit for the start of parks and for the very unique character of the parks that we enjoy today, that person is Mary Ellen Lee, I call her, “Mom.” There were many active women in San Angelo’s early history creating civilization out of the rough and rugged plains but, Mrs. Lee far out‐shown them all. She was involved in many social endeavors and helped make San Angelo a true town. Mrs. Lee was the founding member, and served in the first years as President, of the San Angelo League for Civic Improvement.

Begun in December of 1902, the Civic League, as it was known in short, was part of the “City Beautiful Movement which began at the very end of the 19th Century (many believe as a result of the Columbian Exposition of 1893). This national movement was a loosely‐formed artistic movement with strong civic and social improvement intentions. The movement dealt with public property adornment, litter and trash problems, and, most importantly for this accounting, park development. It is exactly these matters that Mrs. Lee involved herself in San Angelo. She was native to Philadelphia and often took trips back home for months at a time. In this way she was able to better become associated with nation‐wide endeavors and to take these ideas back to her home on the rolling plains at San Angelo.

In its adopted constitution of December 16, 1902, the “purpose of the league shall be to further the improvement of the city in every way.” The league’s first major task was to purchase and install trash cans downtown and to hire a “scavenger … to look after them.” In addition, one of the primary goals of the nation‐wide collection of civic leagues (under the umbrella of the American League formed in 1901) was park development.

I give most of the credit to Mrs. Lee however, others who deserve prominent recognition and were members of the Civic League include Mrs. W. S. Kelly (the city’s first florist), Mrs. Kate Veck (wife of the first businessman in San Angelo and herself one of the city’s first florists), Mrs. Clarissa Frary, and Mrs. Helen Merchant (wife of the man who donated to the City most of the first park property).

In the spring of 1904, Mr. Uriah Gilliam Taylor began to lay out and sell lots of the Angelo Heights Addition which included the area west of the North Concho River from Caddo Street (then a cattle crossing) to Beauregard Avenue and some distance west. This was the city’s first development west of the North Concho River. It is strongly believed (but it is not clear how) that Mrs. Lee approached Mr. Taylor and got him to dedicate the property we now know as Civic League Park as a park. Mr. Taylor agreed and placed it “under the league’s control” on May 1, 1904. The City’s first true park development had begun thanks to the City Beautiful Movement and, most importantly, the efforts of the women of the San Angelo League for Civic Improvement.

It is apparent that some work had been done to turn the property into a park by the Civic League because in August of 1904, the group offered the park for the upcoming Labor Day picnic. The offer was however, turned down. It is not known yet where the event was eventually held, if at all. One can assume that the ladies would not have put themselves on the line for the event without the property having been made presentable as a park.

The City Council finally accepted this property as a city park on December 10, 1907 and it was officially deeded by Mr. Taylor to the City on June 9, 1911. At this point in time the cost for maintenance and development was passed from the Civic League to the City. The League did, however continue to be involved in the park.

As shown, the Civic League was instrumental in the park’s early development. Headed by Mrs. Lee, the women of the Civic League including Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Veck, Mrs, Frary, and Mrs. Merchant, dedicated their time, talents, and money to transform the property into a park. It is these women who began our park history and who have shaped he very unique character that our City enjoys today.
It is also these women, especially Mrs. Kelly, who the Mayor approached in 1905 to begin to develop City Park. Being avid horticulturists, these women transformed what once were cattle yards (the earliest owners were the Tankersley’s) and dumping grounds into gardens, pathways, and picnic areas. The efforts of the women of the Civic League did not end here.

The Park along South Abe Street south of the North Concho River has been known as the Park Heights Park, Abe Street Park, Spanish Park, but it is now known to most folks as Sunken Garden Park. Sometimes this name gets confused with Civic League Park since both locations have sunken gardens. Since this property was not good real estate to develop homes – it was a “ravine‐like block of land lying next to the river, with steep slopes tumbling down toward a small stream,” developers C. T. Paul, who later became Mayor, and E. E. Bailey laid out the Park Heights Addition in 1906 with the area drawn out on the plat as “park.” No deed was made for this dedication and later when Mr. Bailey consulted on Attorney R. Wilbur Brown to know if he could recover the property he was informed that “the dedication was effective and complete.”

An interesting aside here… In the early days, the Civic League met in the courthouse. Perhaps after the courthouse was lost the group began to meet elsewhere. Records show that the Civic League met, at least in its final years, in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, at 418 West Twohig. Local historians will recognize this address; it is that of another civic leader and the first music businessman, Mr. George Allen. This home was moved to a ranch near Millersview and, in present times can be found at Old Town. What is also interesting is that this structure is still involved in civic endeavors – it is now the location of Craig Kinney Architects.

Another interesting aside… The Civic League was also instrumental in developing and funding a municipal band. It doesn’t take much to make a connection here with Mr. Allen. One can assume he was also involved. This band played at bandstands (which no longer exist) that were located at City Park and at the west end of Twohig Avenue. This latter bandstand, on Santa Fe Park property, became the Park Department’s first “headquarters” in 1925. Tools and equipment were stored and the first employees reported there for work.

Another interesting aside… Most San Angeloans recognize the name of Mary E. Lee since there is a park named after her at Lake Nasworthy. This is how that happened. “In 1894 Mary E. Lee sold to the county for $300 more than nineteen acres of land including Flat Rock crossing near the iron span bridge over Middle Concho; this land to be for public use for road and watering purposes. When in later years the building of Nasworthy Dam put this acreage under water, other land on the lake shore was dedicated to the public use and given the name of Mary E. Lee Park.”

Still more interesting asides… While the honor of the city’s first florists belongs to Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Veck, the honor of the City’s first nurseryman belongs to Mr. Joe Nussbaumer who, in his early days in San Angelo, rented a home located on the City Park property before it was deeded to the City. Mr. Nussbaumer moved to another location east and north of there to open up his nursery at 407 North Emerick (corner of Koberlin). One hundred years later that nursery is still in the horticultural business as Ridgeway Florist!
And more…The general vicinity of City Park was a recreational hub for the early town of San Angelo. A skating rink was located immediately north of the park on Tankersley Street (now East Twohig Avenue) at least as early as 1906, and the Turn Verein (a German social and health club) occupied most of the southeast corner of the block west of the park as early as 1903 and had a club house, opera house, and dance hall.

And more…Mrs. Lee became a widow at the age of 37 with nine children. “On the death of her husband, Mrs. Lee, foregoing a strong inclination to return to her former home in Philadelphia, yielded to the wishes of her children and became a lifelong resident of San Angelo.” Her husband, Phillip C. Lee, was one of the organizers of the Concho National Bank and its president. This bank later became the First National Bank.

One final aside… Mrs. Veck, who we have already introduced as one of the City’s first florists, opened up her shop in 1903 at 209/11 South Magdalen directly opposite City Park. One could rightly assume that Mrs. Veck had something to do with the City Park property being cleaned up and donated as the first official park but this has yet to be confirmed. She operated a florist shop opposite the park and its gardens until the mid 1920’s. She died in her apartment near the shop in April of 1936. Her son continued the business as Veck’s Pioneer Florists until the mid 1930’s when he sold it. At one time the same florist shop was renamed Henry’s Flowers and moved, in the 1970’s, to 227 S Chadbourne. This business changed owners in the 1980’s and was renamed Bouquets Unique Florist. New owners bought the business in 2006, and operated it at Chadbourne until July of 2008 when the business was moved from Chadbourne to 1961 W. Beauregard, the old Glodt’s Florist building.
"You know all those nasty things that go bump in the night? The things all human's fear in the darkness? I command them." - Falcon
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The efforts of the women of the Civic League didn’t end here however, one of the most important developments in the history of the San Angelo Parks occurred before their efforts ended. That development – the acquisition of the Santa Fe Park properties and the origins of the Park Commission can best be told by one of the men who was instrumental in it birth:

ORIGIN OF SANTA FE PARK
By: C. A. Broome
July 14, 1933

Being asked by A. N. Carlin to give a brief history of the Parks of San Angelo, at today’s meeting of the Rotary Club, I have prepared and give the following:

In the year 1909, there came to San Angelo, J. J. Lanin, W. G. Shafer, and W. J. Springer from Iowa, who made the proposition to build a railroad from San Angelo to Sterling City for a bonus of the right‐of‐way out of Tom Green County, and $40,000.00 in cash. San Angelo raised the amount necessary by public subscription, and during that same year (August 4, 1909), entered into a contract with above parties under the corporate name of the Northern Construction Company, to construct this railroad. Before this construction began, the North Construction Company sold its contract to the Santa Fe System of Railroads, and dissatisfaction was apparent among the subscribers to the $40,000.00 fund when it became known that this money would not go to a competing railroad to the – one we had. Some of the citizens’ committee in charge of this Sterling City railroad for the City of San Angelo were prominent on the citizens’ committee who dealt with the Santa Fe Railway Company when San Angelo gave the right‐of‐way and graded the road bed from Ballinger when it was built into San Angelo in the year, 1888, and who remembered a promise that any extension out of San Angelo by the Santa Fe would never cost a bonus other than free right‐of‐way. Taking this up with Mr. Ripley, President, this Citizens’ Committee was told it would have to pay into this railroad the full $40,000.00 contracted but to then take the matter up with the railroad board.

To make a long story short, during the summer of 1912, after the completion of the road and the payment in full of the $40,000.00, a subcommittee of George E. Webb, Chairman of the Railroad Commission, and T. C. Wynn, a member of the Railroad Commission, went to Chicago and obtained from Mr. Ripley, the promise of the return to San Angelo of the $40,000.00 cash bonus, but Mr. Ripley made it a condition that none of same would be returned to the original subscribers and not to be given to another railroad, but would be used for something for the permanent good of San Angelo.

Mr. Ripley suggested a park as his idea, but left that up to the Citizens’ Committee to determine and agree upon. This committee was composed of the following Citizens: George E. Webb, Chairman; R. A. Hall, J. W. Hill, F. E. Allen, T. T. Farr, C. A. Broome, T. C. Wynn, and R. Wilbur Brown; and in committee meetings for some time, it was a hotly contested question whether to apply this $40,000.00 returned to the building of, at that time a badly needed hotel, or to a park. Finally, when a park was decided upon, this committee acting secretly and using R. A. Hall, T. T. Farr, and C. A. Broome for respective purchasers, acquired by deeds all lands and town lots, not already owned by the City in streets, alleys, an otherwise, between where the Santa Fe right‐of‐way on 4th Street, Miles Addition, intersects the North Concho River, and where Randolph Street intersects said river in the main part of San Angelo. This is varying widths, but as now laid and comprising the Santa Fe Park.

Also, there was purchased about four acres of land adjoining on the east, the North Ward Public School—the large block of land just to the east of the East Ward Public School—Block 56 of the Fort Concho Addition, just east of the South Ward Public School, and the several lots to the west and the north of the West Ward Public School buildings and grounds. For this land, the committee expended the sum of $21,247.50, and set aside the sum of $8,752.50 for improvement of same. The other $10,000.00 of the $40,000.00 was placed in a trust fund to be loaned by certain trustees, 7/8ths of the proceeds from interest to be paid into the hands of the City Park Commission to be used in the upkeep of the parks, and the other 1/8th to be added each year to the $10,000.00 principal fund. This latter provision looks small, but has at this time added more than $2,000.00 to this fund.

The purchasers of the lands made appropriate deeds to the City of San Angelo to all property purchased by them for this purpose making it obligatory for the property to be at all times used for parks and playgrounds purposes, and the City, on August 4, 1913, accepted and passed an ordinance establishing and pertaining to its parks, and W. C. Blanks, T. C. Wynn, and C. A. Broome were made Park Commissioners. Said Board to at all times select its successors, subject to confirmation by the City Commission. A small tax was levied by the City for Park maintenance, and all streets and alleys in the Park area in San Angelo were closed and added to Park property. With the $8,725,50 set aside out of the $40,000.00 gift, these Park Commissioners cleaned and cleared the refuse that had been dumped along this river front for the years of San Angelo’s life, taking off most of the scrub mesquite brush that grew in profusion; filled washes, regulated drainage, laid a four‐inch water main in and around the outside of its area between Beauregard Avenue and Abe Street, with laterals necessary to water the trees and planted the trees and shrubs now on this park, and San Angelo became the owner of some 50 acres of land, parked, immediately in its center, invaluable to it now, and more valuable as it grows larger, and something very few, if any, city has today—park, golf, tennis and playground in its center. This was designated as the “Santa Fe Park and Playgrounds”.

What is known as the Civic League Park, fronting the west bank of North Concho River on West Beauregard Avenue, became a part of the parks of San Angelo, by a gift from U. C. Taylor, a long time honored resident of San Angelo, now deceased; first attended to by a Ladies’ committee called the “Civic League”. The small, but beautiful park site on North Bank of North Concho River south of Twohig Avenue and east of Magdalen Street, on the northwest corner of which is now the Central Fire Station, was mostly the gift of S. W. Merchant, now deceased, and an old and honored citizen of San Angelo, and at one time was personally attended to and beautified by a ladies’ committee, headed by Mrs. Clarisse Frary, now deceased, and Mrs. W. S. Veck, one of our oldest citizens.
The park just west of Abe street on South Bank of the North Concho River, was given San Angelo by the owners when they laid off for sale, in lots and blocks, the Park Heights Addition. Prominent in this company was C. T. Paul, once County Judge of Tom Green County, and E. E. Bailey, prominent real estate dealer.

The last addition to the care of the Park Board is the San Angelo Cemetery, the history of which is as follows: When San Angelo’s Incorporation, in 1897 was declared illegal by the courts, it had just purchased, fenced and laid off in lots the present cemetery. This left it without ownership or control. Only a handful of graves on it, but out of those interests most, D. D. Wallace, one of our leading attorneys, joined by J. W. Timmins, so long our District Judge, C. H. (Doc) Rust, Chas. W. Hobbs and C. A. Broome, obtained a charter to operate a cemetery. Obtained a deed to that cemetery site from T. C. Wynn, County Judge; laid a two‐inch water main from a point in the Millspaugh Addition that was then the nearest point of the City water main to the cemetery; organized a committee of ladies who took charge of, made rules and regulations and through their working committee, [superintended] the beautification, collected all money due the Association, and expended same for expenses incurred. As the association was a non‐profit sharing organization, there accumulated a surplus that was loaned out by the above named Directors and set aside as a permanent upkeep fund. During the year 1930, the Cemetery Association under certain provisions and restrictions, deeded the unsold part of the Cemetery to the City of San Angelo, who now collects for sale of lots, issues deeds, and keeps the accounts, under an ordinance, accepting said deed and agreement and placing said Cemetery in the hands of its Park Board the same as all parks of the City, and puts its accumulated permanent upkeep fund in the hands of the same trustees as hold the $10,000.00 park fund.

This fund for the permanent upkeep of the Cemetery was approximately $37,500.00 in notes and interest bearing securities when placed in this trust, and has since grown by gifts, including $10,000.00 from will of Mrs. J. M. Shannon, and otherwise until now amounts to approximately $59,000.00, neither amount carrying accrued interest, and by the time the lots in the Cemetery are exhausted, should amount to $125,000.00 or more.

It is appropriate to say that the Trustees of the two trust funds are the Presidents of the different banks in San Angelo, and provides if ever the banks in San Angelo are less than three, the Mayor of the City shall appoint one or more members to keep the number up to three, and when other banks are organized, the Presidents of same become Trustees without further appointment, and those appointed by the Mayor automatically drop out.

This keeps the fund out of politics and makes as near a permanent trust as can be created. Of the original citizens’ railroad committee of eight, there are now only four alive, namely: George E. Webb, R. A. Hall, R. Wilbur Brown, and C. A. Broome. Of the three original Park Commissioners, C. A. Broome remains, Chas. W. Hobbs taking the place of T. C. Wynn, and Henry Jackson taking the place of W. C. Blanks, and making the present board.

Provisions and Restrictions
Deeds to Santa Fe Park Property

The deeds from R. A. Hall, C. A. Broome, and L. L. Farr of the property acquired for parks, which was deeded to the City of San Angelo, all filed and recorded in Tom Green County Deed Records on August 5, 1913, all state the same things, as copied below.
In each deed, there is the description all given of the property conveyed in that particular deed, then this follows:

“Together with all and singular the rights, members, and appurtenances to the same in any manner belonging, in perpetuity, to be kept, preserved and used by said City of San Angelo, for all future times as public parks, play grounds, and places of recreation for the use and benefit of said City and its citizens, subject only to the limitations, conditions and restrictions herein after prescribed, viz.”

I.
“The land and premises herein conveyed are a part of the lands to be embraced in a park or system of parks to be known and designated as the Santa Fe Parks.”

II.
“The control and authority over all of said lands is hereby primarily vested in the City Council, or legislative department, of said City of San Angelo, provided, however, that the immediate control of said system of parks, including planning, planting, improvement, development and maintenance thereof shall be vested in a non‐salaried park commission to be constituted of three citizens of the City of San Angelo, who shall be appointed by the City Council or legislative department of the said City of San Angelo, as follows:
“The three park commissioners to serve for the first terms shall be appointed by the terms of an ordinance to be adopted by said City Council, upon the date of acceptance of this grant. And upon the death, resignation, or termination of office of any of such park commissioners, nominations for his successor for the ensuing term, or portion of unexpired term, shall be made to the said City Council, or legislative department of said City by the two remaining members, and thereupon at the next ensuing session of said City Council, or legislative department, of said City, such nomination shall be ratified and said park commissioners thereupon inducted into office, unless in the opinion of said body, some valid reason exists against such appointment, in which case the appointment shall be made at the discretion or pleasure of the legislative department of said City.”
“All funds set apart for the maintenance, preservation, and improvement of said parks shall be expended by said park commissioners under the approval of the legislative department of the City of San Angelo.”

III.
“It is distinctly understood, and it is an express condition of this grant, that no part of the lands and premises above conveyed shall be diverted by the said City of San Angelo to any other use or purpose than those specifically enumerated above, nor shall any part of said premises by alienated or conveyed by said City of San Angelo to any person, firm, or corporation, it being the express intent of this grant here effectuated to perpetually set apart the premises above conveyed to the general public constituting the citizenship of the City of San Angelo, for the purposes of public parks, playgrounds and places of recreation.”
(Here the deeds of R. A. Hall and L. L. Farr permit the use of certain parts of the properties conveyed to be used by the adjacent Public Schools for playgrounds for the children attending said schools, so long as they exist as public schools.)

IV.
“This conveyance is made and accepted in all its terms by the said City of San Angelo, with the express understanding and agreement that as a part of the consideration hereof, the said City of San Angelo assumes to pay any and all outstanding assessments for taxes, State, County and municipal, of whatever nature or kind, accrued and chargeable against any or all of said property up to the date of this conveyance and including the year 1913.”

V.
“It is further specifically understood and agreed and is a part of the consideration for this conveyance, that no license, permission or authority shall ever by granted by the said City of San Angelo, or any one it its authority, for the sale, gift, or dispensing in any way, intoxicating liquors upon the premises above conveyed.”

VI.
“This conveyance shall become effective and be in force only upon the passage and taking effect of a valid resolution or ordinance of the said City Council of the City of San Angelo, accepting this grant upon the terms herein set out.”

Provisions for Parks
Special Charter
For the City of San Angelo
Adopted August 3, 1915

The charter of the City of San Angelo provides the following:

“Chapter I.

“Section 21. Parks, Playgrounds, Etc.: Said City shall have exclusive control over all city parks and municipal play‐grounds and the right to control, regulate and remove all obstructions and prevent all encroachments thereupon; and to provide for raising, grading, filling, terracing, landscape gardening, erecting buildings, providing amusements therein, for establishing walks and paving drive‐ways around, in and through said parks, playgrounds and other public grounds.”

“Section 22. Park Commission: there is hereby created and established a Park Commission to be composed of three (3) members, all resident citizens of the City of San Angelo, and who shall be officially designated as the Park Commissioners of the said City of San Angelo. Said Park Commissioners shall hold their offices for terms of two, three and four years, respectively, and the present Park Commissioners of San Angelo, at the time of the adoption of this charter, are hereby continued in office until the expiration of their terms. The general control and supervision of the parks within the City of San Angelo, now or hereafter to be acquired, is hereby vested in said Park Commission, and all funds set apart for said parks, subject to the approval of the governing authorities, shall be under the control of said Commissioners, any two of who shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of said Park Commission.”

“Upon the death, resignation, removal or expiration of term of office of any of said Park Commissioners, the two remaining Park Commissioners shall nominate a third member for his successor, and upon the approval by the governing authorities of such nomination, such person shall become a member of said board and shall hold his position for the term of four years; provided, that if it appears to the governing authorities, that the person so nominated is an unfit or unsuitable person for such board, the governing authorities may elect a member of its own choice. No salary or compensation of any sort shall be paid to said Park Commissioners, or either of them, for their services.”

“The amount appropriated out of the general fund each fiscal or current year for the support and maintenance of the public parks within the City, shall be delivered to the Park Commissioners and their receipt taken therefore, and warrants on said fund shall be drawn by the Park Commissioners upon the signature of at least two of its said members. And no debt shall be contracted by said Park Commission nor any member thereof on account of the public parks and playgrounds of the City, unless so directed and authorized by the governing authorities, nor shall any debts ever be created by said Park Commission of account on the maintenance and operation of the parks and public grounds of the City in any one year, in excess of the appropriation for such purpose for the current year.”
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“The Park Commission shall make reports of the expenditures of said funds entrusted to them, from time to time as requested by the governing authorities of the City, and shall, in any event make an annual report of the receipt and disbursement of all funds coming into their hands for the support and maintenance of the public parks and playgrounds of the City, which report shall be filed with the person exercising the duties of City Secretary, and shall be open to public inspection at all times.”

“Article VI.

“Section 1. Taxation: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐, and all moneys arising from the collection of taxes for general purposes shall be maintained in a separated fund to be designated as the “General Fund”, provided that out of the general fund there be annually segregated and delivered to the custody and control of the Park Commissioners of said City, and amount not less than five (5) cents nor exceeding ten (10) cents on the one hundred dollars (100) assessed valuation of all property in said City.”

And now, the rest of the story… Well, at least some of it.

Compiled by Billie George
Clerk Typist – Parks Department
July 9, 1991

A. N. Carlin, who was employed by the City of San Angelo from June 15, 1925 until he retired in 1954, is considered as the “Father” of the Parks Department.

James M. Rogers was hired January 3, 1955 as Parks Superintendent and served in this capacity until he retired July 31, 1989. When Mr. Rogers went to work for the City, the parks consisted of Santa Fe, City Park and river drive areas connecting them, Civic League, Sunken Garden, (Santa Rita & Brown Parks – just being developed), and Municipal Swimming Pool Park.

The park just West of Abe Street on the South bank of the North Concho River, was given to San Angelo by the owners when they laid off for sale, in lots and blocks, the Park Heights Addition. Prominent in this company was C. T. Paul, once County Judge of Tom Green County, and E. E. Bailey, prominent real estate dealer. This park is now known as the Sunken Garden Park.

Picnic Bend Park was originally owned by the Santa Fe Railroad and was later deeded to the City. The records show that this area was used for gatherings since the 1880’s.

Kiwanis Park, located at West Beauregard and A&M Streets, was originally a City dump ground. In the 1950’s, the West Kiwanis Club developed this area into a Little League ball park. The City continued development in the 1960’s making it into the present Kiwanis Park.

The Brown Park, located at Johnson and West Twohig Streets, was deeded to the City by Ted Brown, developer, in the 1950’s.
Brentwood Park was deeded to the City by Glenn Aarons in 1955. In 1957 a sprinkler system and water fountain were installed. Since this is a low area, there has always been a drainage problem. As of the present time, construction is under way to build a concrete drainage way which will help solve the problem and also beautify the park.

The Bradford Park, consisting of five areas, was acquired in 1961.
The College Hills Park was given to the City by Ted Brown in the early 1960’s.

The new Parks Department Headquarters building was constructed in 1963 and the office was moved from the Santa Fe Park to its present location at 1022 North River Drive.

In 1969 the Lakeview Park was developed. These fourteen acres was City owned land.

There was 47.5 acres of park and park drive added in the 1960’s making a total of 228.6 acres of park land in the City limits.
The old Guinn Field baseball area was developed in 1970 into the North Randolph Park. It was changed to M. L. King Park in 1981.
In 1971 the property between Schroeder and Upton was purchased for the development of Bell Park.

Pete Chapa Park (Tot‐lot) was developed in 1971.

Also in 1971 the City purchased two acres of land from Mike Rios and this acreage along with three acres of excess school land makes up the Rio Vista Park at Ben Ficklin Road and Avenue X.
In 1972 River Drive from 14th to 19th Streets, known as North Concho Park was developed.

Three lots were purchased in 1975 for $2,325 on 17th and Emerson Streets. This was developed into the Purkey Park.

Tom Green County Historical Society requested a park be named after pioneer trader Bart J. DeWitt. The areas along the North Concho River from Randolph Street to East Concho and Magdalen intersection was named Bart J. DeWitt Park in 1983.

In 1984 two park rangers were hired to patrol the downtown park areas.

The nine acres across from the Rio Concho Manor was made into a park in 1967. This land was given to the City by the Rio Concho Manor. In 1989 a Fragrance Garden, honoring the early nurserymen of San Angelo, was developed in the Rio Concho Park, Section A. This is known as the Rio Concho Garden. The Gazebo was built in 1979 in the Rio Concho Park Section B, across from the Convention Center. The name was changed to James M. Rogers Gazebo Garden in 1989 when Mr. Rogers retired.

Area Services Inc., developers, deeded 4.9 acres to the City in 1977 for the Meadowcreek Park at Tabosa and Ridgecrest Lane.
Legal action was taken in 1977 on a piece of land to be developed into Mountain View Park. This park is bounded by Chestnut, Alexander, Dallas, and Millspaugh Streets.

Glenmore Park, and Webster Tot‐lot were also developed in 1977.
A hike‐bike trail was constructed from Bell Street along the North Concho River to 14th Street. This work was completed in 1982. A foot bridge was built in 1983 from the Santa Fe Park across the North Concho River at the Abe Street Bridge. The four blocks of the River Plaza were dedicated in March 1984. The Plaza includes multi‐colored brick areas, bubbling waterfalls and springs illuminated by lights. The area also includes picnic tables, park benches, trash receptacles, and picnic grills.

The River Stage was constructed in 1987 on the banks of the North Concho River behind the Municipal Swimming Pool. Development of this area is still in progress.

The area along the south bank of the South Concho River from Bell Street to the Lone Wolf Bridge at one time belonged to Tom Green County. After development by the City, this area is the South Concho Park.

At the present time, Jerrel Harmon, is the Parks Superintendent. He became Superintendent when Mr. Rogers retired in 1989. Asst. Superintendent is Gary Taylor. There are forty‐one (41) employees in the three sections of the Parks Department.

Attached is a history of the Fairmont Cemetery, which is also under the control of the Parks Commission.

(added by Jerrel Harmon: El Paseo de la Santa Angela was constructed in 1995. The Parks Department began maintenance of this area in October 1995. The first budget for this area (1995‐96) was $73,213.)
"You know all those nasty things that go bump in the night? The things all human's fear in the darkness? I command them." - Falcon
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