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Henderson Park (Chehalis, Washington)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Shortiefourten (talk | contribs) at 23:56, 27 November 2023 (→History: Updates for early history, say, 1900s to 1930s). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Henderson Park
Henderson Park (Chehalis, Washington) is located in Washington (state)
Henderson Park (Chehalis, Washington)
TypePicnic, community assembly
Coordinates46°39′12″N 122°57′11″W / 46.65333°N 122.95306°W / 46.65333; -122.95306
Area1-acre (0.40 ha)
Established1962
StatusOpen
PathsSidewalks
TerrainFlat
PlantsRoses
FacilitiesChehalis government buildings

Henderson Park is located in Chehalis, Washington in the city's South Market district and is a block northeast of nearby Recreation Park.

The 1-acre (0.40 ha) park hosts several buildings used by various city government divisions, most notably the Chehalis Parks and Recreation Department, and as a command center during emergencies in the city.[1]

History

The plat for Henderson Park, described as having a "pretty clump of trees", was originally offered to the city in 1906.[2] The land was officially donated to Chehalis by the Henderson Lumber Company in 1908 but forgotten by the city until 1913, though the area was treated as a park by local residents.[3][4] The park would not be formally recognized by the city until 1916.[5] Full ownership was given to Chehalis, by deed, in 1962.[6]

During its early history, the grounds had been used as an automobile stop, a market place, picnic area, and a playground.[7] At the end of 1916, the city commissioners, led by the actions of a local auto club, began to convert the land into a park for automobile travelers.[8] The grounds were slightly expanded in 1923 when the city authorized the purchase of nearby residential lots to add to the park.[9] Improvements, actual and planned, were begun in the mid-1920s and into the 1930s, first with a concrete concession stand[10] and the planting of Hawthorne trees the following year.[11] A log lodge, with an original footprint of 28 ft × 72 ft (8.5 m × 21.9 m), was introduced as a possible rest area for travelers in 1933. The lodge was planned to be modern for the times, and was to contain a dance floor and host a large front porch. The combination rest area and recreation building was never constructed.[12][13] Henderson Park, along with other recreation spots in the city, received a small Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant for improvements, and the addition of playground equipment, in 1937.[14][15] In early 1938, the Henderson Park Garden Club was first organized.[16]

By the 1940s, the space began to be primarily utilized for the State Department of Natural Resources and then later by the Chehalis fire department and the Jaycees.[7][17]

Rose bushes were dispersed through the site during a transfer of plantings from the closure of the Chehalis Municipal Rose Garden but the roses did not flourish.[1] Beginning in 2009, the park's pumphouse is dressed as a gingerbread house during the winter holiday season.[18][19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Voie, Brittany (August 3, 2018). "More Information Surfaces About the Chehalis Municipal Rose Garden". The Chronicle. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Henderson Park". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. November 30, 1906. p. 1. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "New Plat To City Is Filed". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. Vol. 26, no. 16. October 9, 1908. p. 20. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  4. ^ "City Garbage Again Talked". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. Vol. 30, no. 49. May 23, 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  5. ^ "New Auto Park For Motorists". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. Vol. 34, no. 25. December 1, 1916. p. 1. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Henderson Park". ci.chehalis.wa.us. City of Chehalis.
  7. ^ a b "When City Departments Finish Asking For Henderson Space". The Daily Chronicle. May 31, 1961. p. 14. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Untitled". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. December 8, 1916. p. 6. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  9. ^ "City To Buy Park Addition". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. March 9, 1923. p. 8. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  10. ^ "To Improve Parks". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. April 18, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  11. ^ "City's Parks Will Attract". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. May 15, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  12. ^ "Walton League To Build Lodge In Chehalis". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. March 31, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  13. ^ "View Of Beautiful Lodge..." The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. June 16, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  14. ^ "Chehalis Parks To Get $47,000". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. February 26, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  15. ^ "Park Improvements Under WPA Job Under Way". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. March 12, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  16. ^ "Henderson Park Garden Club Meets". The Chehalis Bee-Nugget. March 8, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  17. ^ "Hall Use Approved". The Daily Chronicle. September 20, 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  18. ^ Wenzelburger, Jared (November 29, 2019). "Festive Decorations Showcase the Holiday Spirit in Chehalis". The Chronicle. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  19. ^ Fitzgerald, Emily (November 21, 2023). "Chamber of Commerce honors Terry Harris as grand marshal of 'Aloha Christmas' Santa Parade in Chehalis". The Chronicle. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
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