1800-1899

Year

     Event

1863

     Old Fort Park, first city park, purchased by Mr. Henry Williams and given to city. (Site of Anthony Wayne's first fort.)

1866

     Northside Park acquired to be home of the Indiana State Fair.

1869

     Colonel Thomas W. Swinney leased his property to the City. It became known as Swinney Park.

1875

     Colonel Swinney died and bequeathed his property to the City as a park with the condition that his family should have the home as long as they lived.

1876

     Hayden Park acquired.

1880

     Reservoir Park developed when the City reservoir was built.

1886

     McCulloch Park given to the City by Mr. Hugh McCulloch.

1893

     City leased more land for Swinney Park from Swinney heirs.

1894

     Park Department formed under control of the Board of Public Works.

1895

     Colonel Foster headed up a committee to investigate formation of a municipal park board. He believed that Fort Wayne should have a city park within a 10 minute walk of every home.

1896

     August W. Goers was the first Park Superintendent, serving in that capacity at a time when parks were under the jurisdiction of the Board of Works. During his tenure Lawton, Swinney, Reservoir, McCulloch, Hayden, Weisser and Lakeside parks were developed as beauty spots of their time. All of this was reportedly accomplished at a very low cost to the taxpayers.