Bushnell Park, - Hartford, CT USA
Posted by: CraigInCT
N 41° 45.859 W 072° 40.705
18T E 692981 N 4626214
America's first municipal park.
Waymark Code: WM4672
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 07/13/2008
Views: 49
In 1853, to preserve some open space for public use, Reverend Horace Bushnell presented the idea of a public park, financed by public funds. This was a new concept and was initially met with skepticism.
Reverend Bushnell's presentation was so convincing that the Hartford City Council unanimously voted to spend public funds to buy the land. Hartford voters approved the expenditure on Jan. 5, 1854, making it the first municipal park in the nation to be conceived.
In 1860 the park was finally designed by Jacob Weidenmann. Decorated with a tremendous variety of trees and plants along the Park River. After the great flood of 1936, the park was redesigned. The river was buried in a conduit. The Lily Pond was later added to give the park a water feature.
Today the park is lovely area to walk, relax and escape the city.
Name: Bushnell Park
Street Location: Trinity St
Local Municipality: Hartford
State/Province, etc.: Connecticut
Country: USA
Web Site: [Web Link]
Memorial/Commemoration: Reverend Horace Bushnell
Date Established: 1854
Picnic Facilities: None
Recreational Facilities: I did not see any sport facilities, on my many visits, other than a couple swing sets on the far eastern end.
The park has a carousel (1914) that has rides for $1 - find that waymark too!
Monuments/Statues: Horace Wells and Israel Putnam
Art (murals/sculpture, etc.): Spanish American War Memorial
Fountains: Corning Fountain
Ponds/Lakes/Streams/Rivers/Beach: The Pond near Jewell St
Special Events: Jazz, Dance and theater at the pavillion, Annual Summer Solstace Party
Traditional Geocaches: Bushnell Park - GCWQJW
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Visit Instructions:
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