West Park (Bush Park) – Joliet

To the south of Joliet, near Rockdale, is Bush Park, or what now is known as West Park.

The park was named for Frank Bush, who was engaged in cattle dealing and the wholesale meat business in Joliet. Bush died in 1897 and the following year, 40 acres of his farm was sold to the city of Joliet and the park was named in his honor. Over the years, visitors to West Park enjoyed the footpaths and roads that meandered throughout the scenic acres. The steep ravines and wooded rolling terrain offered the large crowds that patronized the park and wonderful backdrop for the changing seasons. Besides the rustic bridges and springhouse, West Park once contained three separate playground areas, softball diamonds, a dance pavilion, tennis courts, an open air theater, a football field and several picnic areas.

On the south side of the park there was an artificial pond, which in the winter months was used for ice-skating, and a shallow brook, which meandered through the park.

The then photograph shows the ornamental, arched bridge and rockscaped brook which flowed through the south side of the park. Although West Park still is enjoyed today by numerous visitors, much of the northern sections of the park were lost with the construction of Interstate 80 through Joliet in the late-1960s.

The now photograph shows one of the old park benches which today face the highway, and stand as monuments to the old northern sections of the park.