Streator Park Board suggests Twister Hill Park as trailhead name

The Streator Park Board is recommending a name for the trailhead park at Madison and Broadway streets that will pay tribute to the neighborhood's history.

They voted unanimously Wednesday night in favor of Twister Hill Park. The item will now go in front of the City Council for official vote.

Twister Hill is the informal name associated with the neighborhood prior to the demolition of most of the homes south of the high school. "Twister" is a form of early glass blowing used in Streator, and this area was settled by many of the German glass blowers.

Park Board member Afton Caulkins said it will be important for the city once known as the Glass Container Capital of the World to communicate the park's meaning to residents and visitors through signage.

The Park Board asked for suggestions from the public at its October meeting, receiving Bulldog Park, Hardscrabble Trail, Broadway Park and Vermilion River Walk Park, along with Twister Hill, as nominations.

Additionally, Park Board members considered recommending a name for the Vermilion River Greenway Trail system, which includes the recently completed 1.47-mile trail from the trailhead park to West First Street and projected expansions.

Park Board members said they wanted the trail to have a unique name tied to Streator. They discussed naming the trail system after Hopalong Cassidy, tying in the recently completed trail to the existing Hopalong Cassidy River Trail, and possibly giving individual paths their own names after characters or topics connected with the Hopalong Cassidy stories.

Streator native Clarence Mulford, whose former home sits along the current Hopalong Cassidy River Trail on West Bridge Street, authored the "Hopalong Cassidy" stories.

The Park Board decided to table the item until its next meeting.