The Park
Layout Changes
The arrival of Washington Park (West Park) in the 1890s cleared out several city blocks, interrupting the regular grid layout that existed in the area. In the years following the park's completion, a few changes were made to its overall layout. The northeastern corner of the park was added and later partially removed to allow for N. 39th Street and N. 40th Street. The end result of this was a more or less regular rectangular shape as opposed to the odd shape the park once had. Ultimately, the park's layout was the reason for the zoo's relocation. With houses surrounding the park on all sides, there was no room for the zoo to expand. Although the animals left, most of the park's features remained the same.
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Olmsted and Washington Park
At the close of the 19th century, the Washington Park neighborhood was undergoing a transformation. The Milwaukee Park Commission had just purchased 124 acres of land on the West Side of the city. At the time, Frederick Law Olmsted was the premiere landscape architect in the country, and his recently completed design of Lake Park on the city's shore of Lake Michigan proved to be a valuable asset to the area.
Olmsted's vision for what was, at the time, West Park fit into his existing approach to landscape design that was apparent in his design of New York City's Central Park; an Olmsted park could act as a place of retreat from the busy lifestyle of the urban dweller. Through the creation of a seemingly natural landscape that included open meadows, wooded areas, stone bridges and paths, and water features, Olmsted believed that his park could improve the society within the neighborhood. The Milwaukee Park Commission followed through with Olmsted's design, but soon after, the neighborhood residents began to make the park their own. The park soon became the home of Milwaukee's first zoo, taking the spot of the favorite zoo for notable figures such as the director of the San Diego Zoo Society. Olmsted's creation also developed sports fields, a small golf course, and a band shell that has hosted "Music Under the Stars" since 1938. In the winter, toboggan sleds carved into Olmsted's pristine rolling meadows while ice skaters gained enjoyment out of the park's seven-acre lake. His original vision was anything but preserved when the park finally added a one-mile horse racing track with grandstands and was renamed Washington Park in 1900. What happened to West Park is a prime example of the vision of the creator being fabricated in isolation from the actual community for which the design is intended. Where Olmsted believed open fields and picturesque views would be the best thing for the neighborhood, actual residents of the area wanted a place for recreation and activity. To this day, Washington Park stands as a testament to the power of a neighborhood to transform one person's isolated vision into a place of its own as a result of this metamorphosis. |
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The Changing Zoo
The Milwaukee Park Commission started the creation of the park through the allocation and purchase of 124 acres on Milwaukee's West Side. The park commission hired on Frederick Law Olmsted to design the landscape, although additional community amenities were eventually added.
West Park, as it was formerly known, came into existence in 1892. The park offered a small zoo, boathouse and landing, a band shell, sports fields, a six-hole golf course, and a one-mile horse racing track. Even with all this, Olmsted's designs for open meadows, wooded areas, and a lake came to fruition. In 1892, West Park Zoo began as a humble barn containing a small bird and mammal exhibit. Soon the zoo would have an eagle, several bears, and a deer herd donated by Gustav Pabst. By 1899, the first permanent structure was erected -- the Herbivorous Building. In 1900, West Park became Washington Park in a trendy attempt to showcase American history. The new Washington Park Zoo had grown to 23 acres by 1902, and by 1907 it was the sixth largest zoo in the nation. At this time, the zoo added a monkey cage, a sea lion enclosure, a buffalo pen, an eagle aviary, and a small mammal house. The zoo's success deemed the creation of a zoological society necessary in 1910 for additional support. By the 1920s, the Washington Park Zoo was the fifth largest zoo in the nation, with annual attendance reaching 600,000. The zoo gained recognition for endorsements from Edward H. Bean and Dr. H.M. Wegeforth. The end of the 1930s brought the growth of the zoo to the boundaries of the park. With no room to grow, the zoo needed to look for a new home. Between 1958 and 1961, a new zoo was built, and by 1963 the Washington Park Zoo was abandoned. In 1968 the park opened its senior citizen center and followed with the rehabilitation of the boathouse. By the 1970s Washington Park was facing serious challenges. The park system was forced to make cutbacks due to budget restraints, causing Washington Park to be understaffed. With only a seasonal staff, the park became unkempt in appearance. It would take another twenty years to pull together the neighborhood and investors into reinvigorating and bringing the park back to its former glory. |
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West Park Becomes Washington Park
The City of Milwaukee purchased the land for what is now Washington Park in 1891. Frederick Law Olmsted originally designed the park to serve as an escape from the overcrowded urban condition of the city.
Shortly after being completed, West Park Zoo found its home in the park before being renamed Washington Park in 1900. By 1907, Washington Park Zoo had become the sixth largest in the nation. Eventually the park's western boundary shrunk to accommodate more housing. In 1961, the Washington Park Zoo moved locations and became known as the Milwaukee County Zoo. This change in locations had a negative effect on the condition and the upkeep of the park. Today, Washington Park is the focus of many revitalization efforts. Neighborhoods United for Washington Park has worked in partnership with Harley-Davidson to restore the band shell and amphitheater. In 2007, Milwaukee's Urban Ecology Center opened a location in the park in order to bring life back into the 135-acre site. The Urban Ecology Center is open to the community and provides recreational equipment to the public and after school programs for students at nearby schools. |
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