Springfield Parks, Greenways, and Outdoor Spaces
5/1/16

This evening we visited four parks facilities and visited three additional outdoor spaces and a historic landmark.

McDaniel Lake Farm Rd. 68
This is the first time we had been to this lake north of Springfield. It is one of the water supplies for the city of Springfield and the only activity allowed is fishing. There is fishing allowed on the Grant St. bridge which is closed to traffic and we also saw people fishing on the Farm Rd 68 bridge and along the bank. We walked along the closed road out and back for about a mile and drove around the lake.

#91. Frisco Highline Linear Park/ Greenway Trail NW US Highway 160
This is Missouri's second longest rail trail at 35 miles. We have ridden bikes  here several times as far as Walnut Grove and I have also run a 5K on this trail but today was the first time we had just walked. We walked 1/2 mile in about 15 minutes and saw several other people on the trail.

#92. Founders Park 330 E Water St.
This 1 acre park is in downtown Springfield and is the site of the original tree blaze made by John Polk Campbell in 1829 where the development of Springfield began. We have been here a few times, primarily for events and it was more interesting than I remember. The design is supposed to resemble historic Phenix Quarry and there is a re-creation of the original spring used by our founders near the site of the park. There is a amphitheater, a historic timelime recounting Springfield's first 100 years, a wall mural, ban upland woods area and a prairie grass area. The fountains aren't on yet, I think next weekend, and they show movies here on summer weekend evenings.  From here we walked over to Park Central Square and over to the Historic Calaboose spending 30 minutes and walking just over 1 mile.

Park Central Square Downtown Springfield
We have been here numerous times and there is a fountain, stage area, historic markers for the Battle of Springfield and the 1906 lynching, and sculptures. This is what the City of Springfield website states:
Park Central Square was designed by renowned landscape architect Lawrence Halprin and his team in the early 1970s. The space was intended to be, in Halprin's words, "an active space for public assembly, devoted to pedestrians and their needs and comforts."
Even before it was remade by one of America's premiere modern landscape architects, Springfield's town square was the site of numerous historical episodes, including:

• Route 66
• The Butterfield Overland Stage Route
• The Shootout Between "Wild" Bill Hickok and Dave Tutt in 1865
• The Trail of Tears

The Calaboose 409 W. McDaniel
This was built in 1891 and is was restored for use as a police substation and police museum. It is open the first Friday of the month in summer/fall from 6-9 pm. It is pretty much hidden from view by the College Station parking facility and other neighboring buildings. We had never been here before and we walked around outside.

The Commons

This greenspace is at the northwest corner of National Ave and Trafficway and is on the site of the old quarry. The current highlights are the Sister Cities Plaza and the abstract steel poles and rock garden. The city website lists these future plans: A greenway trail loop and connections, additional landscaping, further tree planting, green space to the north, condo development overlooking Hammons Field, creation of a water feature, and inclusion of a carousel. We had never been here before but had driven by many times and just walked around for a few minutes.

 

#93 Jenny Lincoln Park 300 E. Harrison

 This nine acre park is in central Springfield and I had been here a couple of times years ago. There is a playground, tennis and horseshoe courts, walking track picnic tables and grills, and these interesting sculpture/benches. We walked 1/3 mile spending less than 10 minutes.

#94 Hawthorn Park 815 S. Market
 We had never heard of this four acre center city park before. It was a very nice park with basketball and horseshoe courts, nice playground equipment, and picnic tables and grills. We spent about five minute and walked 1/10 mile.

We visited 4 parks facilities tonight, just one new to us and visited four other places spending about  1 1/2 hours. We now have just 8 left to visit.