NEWS

Greenville's oldest park sees bright future

Amy Clarke Burns
aburns@greenvillenews.com

The 130-year-old McPherson Park has seen its fortunes wax and wane over the years, brimming with activity at some times, nearly abandoned at others.

Recent years have seen it on the upswing, a trend that stands to continue as downtown's development surges northward and the city invests more than $200,000 in the park.

"I have a lot of hope for McPherson Park," said city councilwoman Amy Ryberg Doyle. "I think it will be a tremendous asset to downtown."

McPherson Park was formerly known simply as City Park after Caroline Choice donated 2 1/2 acres of land to create the park in the 1880s.

The park grew over time, eventually reaching some 32 acres that housed a pond and bridges, Greenville's first zoo on the current site of the Kilgore-Lewis House, and the children's locomotive that is now housed at the Pavilion and called George the Train.

The construction of Academy Street shrank the park dramatically, and today it's 12 1/2 acres of walking trails, tennis courts, a basketball court and miniature golf.

"Truly it's a gem awaiting some polishing," said Mitch Lehde, chairman of the East Park Historic Association.

Lehde said the park is popular among the families who reside in the East Park Historic District, which includes the park in its designation among the National Register of Historic Places.

"Cleveland Park didn't come about until about 1928, so you had about a 30-year run where it was the only public park," said Paul Ellis, former director of the city parks and recreation department.

Over the years and with the rise of Cleveland Park and Falls Park, McPherson Park slid into near-obscurity, growing a bit care-worn around the edges along the way.

The last several years have heralded a resurgence as the surrounding neighborhood has begun to attract more residents and the park has received some maintenance. Tennis courts were resurfaced; crumbling bathrooms replaced.

"We've brought new life to the park," Ryberg Doyle said.

A new influx of $220,000 worth of projects will continue to brighten the park's prospects.

A $120,000 investment from the city will restore five pedestrian bridges within the park, said Kevin Stiens, business administrator for the parks and recreation department.

Some require basic preventive medicine; others a bit more sprucing up. One needs complete replacement.

"We want to make sure whatever design we select meets the current look and the feel of the park," Stiens said.

Designs will be approved by the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, he said.

"The older bridges have concrete that has cracked or spalled, but they have a beautiful charm to their original design," Lehde said.

A further $100,000 grant from National Park Service's Land & Water Conservation Fund Program, awarded about a month ago, will fund a redesign and refurbishment of the parking lot.

If design and planning come together smoothly, Stiens said the work could begin as soon as spring.

Ryberg Doyle said the improvements will help make the park more appealing and more visible to those for whom McPherson Park remains a mystery. Shielded by trees and sunken in a small valley, the park is easily overlooked by drivers along Main or Academy streets.

"I'm hoping more people will know about it," she said. "It was for many years a neighborhood park."

Webster Jones, curator of the Museum and Library of Confederate History, recalled playing there as a child and stuffing firecrackers in the barrels of the Civil War cannons on display.

As far as anyone can remember, the three field artillery cannons have just always been there, though they've been moved around for better display a time or two.

In its early years, McPherson Park's bandstand hosted the civic band on Sunday afternoons, Ellis said.

City Park became known as McPherson Park in 1941 when it was named after John A. McPherson, the longtime head of the city's Park and Tree Commission.

The Sears Recreation Center was constructed in 1941, funded by a donation from the company whose name it bears. Today, the center hosts public meetings, community events, dances and early-morning boot-camp workouts.

Lehde said there are other improvements on the community's "wish list" for the park, including repairs to the miniature golf course, better lighting and a display of information on the park's rich history.

"It just needs a little TLC here and there," he said.