1900-1920

Year

Event

1900

        Northside Park renamed Lawton Park to honor General Henry Lawton.

1905

• Swinney Park developed into a pleasure park, not patterned after the European style park.
• Board of Park Commissioners formed due to passage of Cities and Towns Law by the state legislature. The law created a Board of Park Commissioners independent of the Board of Public Works. August Goers is chosen as the first Superintendent serving both before and after the Park Board was established.

1908

• Land donated by the Fort Wayne Land and Improvement Company for the development of Lakeside Park.
• First supervised playground operated at the corner of Clinton and Douglas Streets by Miss Carrie Snively.
• Weisser park (15 acres of forest) purchased for $10,500.

1910

        The Robinson Plan developed by Charles Robinson.

1911

         New taxing law gave Park Department the power to declare park districts and levy a tax on property within that district, but only for improvements to be carried out within the taxed area. The money could not be moved to a different district.

1912

• 110 acres of land for Foster Park donated by Samuel and Colonel David N. Foster.
• Lakeside Park development completed at cost of $17,500 raised by special tax on the areas surrounding the park.

1914

• August Goers retired as Superintendent but remained as the Assistant. Carl J. Getz assumed the role of Park Superintendent at that time and the Superintendent's job was now combined with that of City Forester.
• Ten (10) tennis courts and wading pool constructed in Swinney Park.

1915

        Parks and Recreation in Fort Wayne came to be viewed as one way to ensure the quality of life.

1916

• Johnny Appleseed monument erected in Swinney Park.
• Plans announced to build replica of Lincoln's log cabin in Foster Park by Lincoln National Life Insurance Company. The log cabin was then constructed and given to the Department in 1920.

1917

• Fort Wayne's first amusement park, Robison Park closed.
• The state legislature passed a park law that enabled cities to bond up to a percentage of their assessed value.
• Adolph Jaenicke became the Superintendent of Parks and forester. He became known as the "city beautifier" because of his achievements with Jaenicke Gardens, the Rose Garden in Lakeside Park and the Children's Flower Growing Association.
• A large two story pavilion was built on the center island of the three lagoons near California Avenue in Lakeside Park.

1918

• Statue of General Anthony Wayne dedicated in Hayden Park.
• First public swimming pool open in Lawton Park.
• Memorial Park established in honor of the military personnel that died during W.W.I.

1919

        Park Board leased part of West Swinney to George Trier for Trier Amusement Park.

1920

        Joseph and Sue Vesta Hanna donated Hanna's Ford (2 acres) to the Department.