Veterans Park

ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin

Veteran's Park

City Park in First Ward

1890

05 28 CITY-PARK-LIKE APPEARANCE

A project started by Mrs. J. A. Hall has interested a number of other ladies in the worthy work of beautifying and embellishing our city park in the First ward. The First ward alderman was invoked into the scheme, which resulted in procuring a number of seats for the ground, which are now in their places and give a truly city-park-like appearance to the handsome enclosure. Saturday, by appointment, the ladies met in the park and supervised the laying out of a center bed with a variety of plants contributed by those interested in seeing the improvement of whatever kind go forward in our city.

05 31 BEAUTIFYING THE PARK

Considerable advancement has been made in beautifying the city park, and already a fine flower and foliage plant bed adorns it, as well as several inviting looking settees. There is still room for improvement, and we trust the good work will go on.

1891

05 27 BEAUTIFYING THE PARK

A well-directed effort is being made to improve and beautify the First ward park. Several in the immediate neighborhood of the park have not only donated money, but are spending much of their time in setting out flowers and doing other works necessary to place the grounds in pleasant condition. More money is needed to complete the improvements intended, and any donation for the purpose left at the store of Wiggenhorn Bros. will be put to proper use. All have an interest the park being kept up in good shape and the required contributions should be forthcoming. WR

08 26 BALL-PLAYING IDLERS IN THE PARK

Mr. Editor: By private taste and enterprise we have a small but attractive park kept up on Third and Fourth streets. Within a short time similar private enterprise has embellished it with flowers.

Of late, however, a gang of boys has taken possession of it for ball playing. As a consequence, the turf gets torn up, the flowers endangered, and passers-by annoyed. Have civilized communities no rights which ball-playing idlers are bound to respect?

LAW AND ORDER.

There is a time to regard to play ball and there should be a proper place to play ball, and certainly there should be no grounds for complaints like the above. WR

1898

04 27 FLOWER BEDS TENDED BY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS

The girls of the high school have been accorded the privilege, by Mayor Mulberger, of tending to the flower beds in the city park this season, and it is proposed to do the planting on Arbor Day. This is a desirable move and should be encouraged. We know the girls will provide a pretty embellishment to that public place — something that will be greatly appreciated by our citizens. Keep up the good work, girls. WR

10 05 REQUEST PERMISSION TO ERECT A MONUMENT IN CITY PARK

To the honorable Common Council of the city of Watertown, Wisconsin:

I hereby respectfully request permission to erect in such place in the city park in the First ward of this city as you may select, a monument to the memory of the deceased soldiers of this city in the late Civil War, 1861-1865; the size of the same to be not less than twelve feet six inches on the ground, and not less than fifty feet in height, of Barre granite; to be erected by myself without cost to the city, on or before the 30th day of May, 1899. Dated at Watertown, Wisconsin, this 4th day of October, 1898.

R. E. LEWIS. WR

11 16 FOUNDATION FOR THE SOLDIERS’ MONUMENT

The work of excavating for the foundation to the soldiers’ monument which Robert E. Lewis has presented to the city was begun in the city park Monday. The monument will stand exactly in the center of the park and its base will be twelve by thirteen feet in dimension. The excavation is to be six feet deep, and as soon as the earth is removed the foundation, built of limestone and granite, will be laid. The monument contractors are J. Archie & Sons.

1898-1899

-- -- LEWIS CIVIL WAR MONUMENT

CONSTRUCTION OF

1899

SOLDIERS’ MONUMENT COMPLETED

Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Lewis, of Watertown, Wis., donated a soldiers’ monument to that city, and it has just been completed. It was built by J. J. Archie & Sons, of Watertown, is of Barre granite, 50 feet in height, and cost $6,000. Stone – An Illustrated Magazine, June 1899 to November, 1899.

1900

03 30 SIDEWALK AROUND THE PARK

One of the very first city improvements that should be made here this spring is the building of a new sidewalk around the city park. The walk on the west side of the park is a disgrace to the city and should be attended to at once. WG

04 03 SIDEWALK AROUND THE PARK

The Gazette suggests that the city “blow” itself for a new walk around the public park in the First ward. Such an improvement is certainly needed very much. In the spring the west walk is a sort of canal and pedestrians are forced to walk through water and slush ankle-deep. WR

c.1899-1900

Veteran's Park, Veteran’s Memorial, circa 1899-1900

1901

03 27 TWO CANNON PLACED IN PARK

< One weapon points North, the second South.

Nearly a year ago the O. D. Pease Post, G.A R., applied for two cannon from the federal government, to be stationed beside the soldiers’ monument in the city park. Mayor Grube interested himself in the matter and was promised that the gift should be made to the city. Last week the cannon were received and are now lying in the city park. No mountings were sent, and it will be necessary for the city to provide these. The cannon are Parrott guns, thirty pounders, and are known as No. 26 and No. 28 condemned ordnance. The former weighs 3,513 pounds and the latter 3,510 pounds. They are from the Brooklyn navy yard. Ten 8-inch projectiles, weighing 500 pounds, accompanied he guns. The freight charges amounted to $80, which the city will have to pay. WR

1901

05 10 LANDSCAPING AT WILLIAM STONE RESIDENCE

Landscape Gardener Frobing, of Oconomowoc, has been beautifying the lawn William C. Stone’s residence on Washington Street. Mr. Frobing several years ago was chief landscape gardener at Lincoln Park, Chicago, and is considered first-class in his line. It would not be a bad idea for our city authorities to have him beautify our city park. WG

05 10 ORDINANCE FOR PROTECTION OF PARK

[same date] An ordinance providing for the protection of the city park, situated in the First ward in the city of Watertown . . . No person shall step or walk on the sod or grass, or deface, mutilate or injure the trees, flowers or shrubbery, or deface, mutilate or injure or sit upon the steps of the Soldiers’ Monument, or catch, kill, destroy, wound, maim, worry or molest the birds or game, or deposit any filth or commit any nuisance, or suffer or permit any dogs belonging to him, or in his charge, custody or control to chase, worry or molest, disturb or catch any bird or game, within the city park, situated within the First ward of this city . . . no person shall ride, drive or lead any horse or other animal, or ride any bicycle or velocipede, upon or across said park or any portion thereof. Provided always that a person lawfully employed by the Board of Public Works, in doing work in or upon said park, may step or walk on the sod and grass thereof. WG

1905

08 16 “KEEP OFF THE GRASS” SIGNS

Public parks are supposed to be for the pleasure of the citizens, where they can rest in the shade when the weather is warm and enjoy life. The City Park is an exception. There are no seats and “Keep off the Grass” signs stares one in the face. Whose fault is it, that it is not a place where the people can enjoy themselves? WR

1909

08 13 PARK GRASS BADLY PARCHED

Why is it the city officials do not keep the grass in the city park sprinkled? The grass plot around the soldier’s monument is a disgrace to the city. It is burned and parched about as badly as any place we know of in the entire city. Is the city too poor to look properly after this little park? If so, it should be turned over to private individuals who will see that the few dollars necessary to keep it sprinkled will be forthcoming. [Veteran’s Park today]. WG

c.1910

-- -- LEWIS FOUNTAIN

1914

1916

ALBERT PITTERLE with 1910 Excelsior Motorcycle, Lewis Fountain

Cross Reference: 1910 Excelsior

c.1920

Kate (Catherine) Blair & Lee Kunz

1926

06 16 PETTING PARTIES WILL BE RUINED

City Park Petting Parties Will Be Ruined By Light

Petting parties will not be tolerated in the city park in the First Ward if citizens of that vicinity have their way . . . and they are demanding to have their way. . .

1948

05 10 FOUNTAIN IN CITY PARK IS REMOVED

The old ornamental fountain in City Park, between S. 3rd and S. 4th Streets has been dismantled and will be replaced shortly with a new and modern sanitary drinking fountain, Park Board officers annnounced today. The old fountain was badly worn and the pipes were deteriorated making replacement necessary. Last year the fountain operated only part time and it was felt best to remove it entirely and replace it with a modern drinking fountain. This will be done as soon as the replacement arrives.

1963

08 15 NAME CHANGE/ City Park to Memorial Park or Veterans Memorial Park

The Watertown Veterans Council has gone on record to change the name of City Park, opposite Trinity Lutheran Church, to Memorial Park or Veterans Memorial Park to preserve a city memorial to Watertown men and women who fought in the nation’s various wars. A communication to that effort will be filed with the common council at the meeting tonight.

1966

AMVETS PLACING DECORATION

11 07 Chapter on Amvets

2007

10 19 NEW VETERANS MEMORIAL TO BE DEDICATED

The Clarence McGuire Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7852 will be holding a dedication ceremony on Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. for the new memorial at Veterans Park. The memorial, which is for all past, present and future Watertown veterans, consists of eight pieces. The largest section of the memorial is a Veterans of Foreign Wars stone with a diamond-etched eagle and flag. The stone is also engraved with the words “Donated by the Clarence McGuire Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7852” and was designed by Linda Boettcher of Archie Monument & Stone Inc. Five smaller stones — a tribute to all branches of the military — are engraved with the emblem of the branch of service and their motto. Each stone will have a flagpole behind it with its service flag. Lights will shine on the flags and stones.

11 08 NEW VETERANS MEMORIAL DEDICATED

Clarence McGuire Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7852 held a dedication ceremony on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the new memorial at Veterans Park.

The memorial, which is for all past, present and future Watertown veterans, consists of eight pieces. The largest section of the memorial is a Veterans of Foreign Wars stone with a diamond-etched eagle and flag. The stone is also engraved with the words “Donated by the Clarence McGuire Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7852” and was designed by Linda Boettcher of Archie Monument & Stone Inc.

Five smaller stones - a tribute to all branches of the military - are engraved with the emblem of the branch of service and their motto. Each stone will have a flagpole behind it with its service flag. Lights will shine on the flags and stones.

The memorial also includes a bench dedicated to the POW-MIA with its flag and another bench that has a Wisconsin flag and is engraved with the words “Donated to all Watertown Veterans.”

During the dedication, the service flags, as well as the POW-MIA and Wisconsin flags, will be raised for the first time.

Every year on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month, a special group of Americans who risked life and limb to preserve the American way of life are honored. American veterans are sentries of freedom. They fought in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Panama, Grenada, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq. As veterans are honored, armed forces are still fighting the war on terrorism.

Veterans Day is a time to reflect upon those who carried out the highest form of public service and answered the nation's call to arms. It is a day which marks the armistice of 1918 that ended the fighting in World War I.

2013

02 19 MEMORIAL PAVER STONES Watertown Veterans Council program, stones in park.