Silver Springs Park Playground - Springfield, Missouri
N 37° 13.237 W 093° 16.661
15S E 475364 N 4119382
Today, this just looks like a nice park with a swimming pool & playground. There is, however, a lot of history behind what you see today.
Waymark Code: WMJ4RX
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 09/23/2013
Views: 2
Today, you see an 18-acre park with a modern swimming pool, nice picnic pavilions, and a large play area, along with lots of grassy fields. The play area has all the playground equipment you'd expect, plus a horseshoe pitch and areas for basketball and baseball. The grassy areas are also perfect for setting up badminton, croquet, etc. Because it is an old park, there are lots of trees, with benches beneath them to watch the play.
The area was originally known as the Fairbanks Pasture. In 1833, the first church in Greene County, Missouri, a Methodist Baptist Church, was built in the pasture. Although there are no signs of the church in the park, there is a historical marker telling the church's story near the park gates. An old Springfield News-Leader article indicates that the building was also used for Presbyterian services.
In 1918, the pasture became a city park and also became a historical focal point of Springfield's African-American community. It was the first and, for a long time, the only park serving that community in Springfield. Over the years it became the host of the Miss Silver Springs Pageant, which is still held to this day, and a very large annual picnic celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation. Although that celebration is commonly referred to as Juneteenth and is celebrated around June 19 in many parts of the country, it has historically been celebrated in August and is now called the Park Day Reunion.
The park is named for a spring on the grounds which empties into Jordan Creek, which also crosses the grounds. One of many WPA projects in the park was the lining of the creek bed with stones. Those are still visible today. The WPA also build the park gates, still visible along N. National Ave., and the original swimming pool which has now been replaced.
The coordinates posted for the park entrance are those by the original WPA gates on N. National Ave. There are also entrances off of E. Webster & N. Hampton Ave. The parking lot is off of N. Hampton Ave.
(Part of the information recited here is based on Mrs. Team Blakelylaw's personal knowledge, having grown up in Springfield; part is based on the Springfield Reunion Club's Park Day Reunion site.
Park Entrance: N 37° 13.350 W 093° 16.540
Hours of Operation: From: 12:01 AM To: 11:59 PM
Seasonal?: no
Restrooms Available: yes
Recommended for travelers?: yes
Business?: no
Entrance Fee: 0.00 (listed in local currency)
Playground Owned/Managed By:
Springfield-Greene County Park Board
Playground Web Page: [Web Link]
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