Then & Now: West Park (Bush Park) – Joliet

Initiatives to preserve open space in or near urban areas led to the establishment of large designed parks. By the late 19th century, increasingly industrialized eastern cities were growing at a dramatic pace.

Desires to protect public water supplies and more open space near cities led to the 19th century urban parks movement and the creation of large “country” parks in or near many urban areas.

Based on Romantic principles, these early parks took their inspiration from similar designs produced by English landscape gardeners in the 18th century. They were often several hundred acres in size bringing rural or pastoral scenery to the urban centers.

Design elements typically included broad meadows and natural picturesque features such as rocky outcroppings, woodlands, lawns and thick border vegetation. Paths or roads provided places for strolling or horseback riding.

By the beginning of the 20th century, Joliet residents began enjoying leisure time in the many fine parks around the city, including Highland Park, Pilcher Park (East Park), Higginbotham Woods and Nowell Park, to name a few.

To the south of Joliet, near Rockdale, is Bush Park, or what is now known as West Park. The park was named for Frank Bush, who was engaged in cattle dealing and the wholesale meat business in Joliet with his brother, Henry. Frank, who came to Illinois around 1854, owned a 130-acre farm near the outskirts of the city.

Bush died Nov. 10, 1897, and the following year 40 acres of his farm were sold to the city of Joliet, and the park was named in his honor. For a time, his wife, Harriet, who still owned 90 acres of land adjoining the new park, acted as the park’s superintendent. This purchase, along with the purchase of 45 acres that would become Highland Park, marked the beginning of the public park system in Joliet.

For many Joliet residents, this beautiful 40-acre park was known as a wonderful place to picnic and enjoy a variety of activities for nature lovers. Besides the rustic bridges and springhouse, the park was a wonderful backdrop to see the changing seasons, walk the long winding roads and footpaths, play baseball, dance in the pavilion or attend a concert.

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. In time, the park would offer three separate playground areas, tennis courts, an open-air theater, a football field and several picnic areas.

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.