Oak Park History Sign - Montgomery, Alabama
Posted by: 
xptwo
N 32° 22.142 W 086° 17.237
16S E 567049 N 3581564
Information sign giving the history of Oak Park in Montgomery, Alabama.
Waymark Code: WMDA77
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 12/12/2011
Views: 5
This large sign is placed near the entrance to Oak Park in Montgomery, Alabama. It gives the history of Oak Park. The text reads:
Welcome to Oak Park
In 1886m acreage for a park near the new suburb of Highland Park was purchased. By 1899, the City of Montgomery bought 40 acres of the property for leisure activities. As a center for recreation, it was used for football games in the early 1900s. development continued with the building of a pavilion, picnic areas and winding paths. The formal landscape plan developed by the Olmstead Brothers during the 1930s included tennis courts, croquet lawns, swimming and wading pools, playground and a small zoo. Oak Park was closed and largely dismantled in 1959 following a Federal Court finding City recreational policies to be unconstitutional. In February of 1965, the City Commission voted unanimously to reopen its recreational parks with Oak Park as a botanical garden. The zoo and other facilities were relocated. Money was allotted to build a planetarium named for former Mayor William Gayle.
Today, Oak Park is comprised of several early buildings and some of the original landscaping despite many encroachments. Trees and other plantings continue to attract those seeking respite from the growing city around them. A guide to trees is at Shelter Two.
Group that erected the marker: City of Montgomery
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
1010 Forest Avenue
Montgomery, Alabama USA
36106
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Visit Instructions:
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