St. Charles Park District celebrates 50 years

As stewards of the land maintaining the parks, the team at the St. Charles Park District makes sure the grass is cut and playground equipment is in working order, as the echoes of children laugh and play while couples stroll past trees that mark the passing of time.

This year the park district marks its 50th anniversary of caring for Baker Field Park, Baker Memorial Park, Fairview Park, Hazeltine Park, Kehoe Park, Lincoln Park and Surrey Hill Park. The St. Charles parks existence stretches further back into the community history, but 1975 marked an important milestone as the city turned over the continued care of the parks to the St. Charles Park District.

“Their longevity is a testament to the dedication of local officials, volunteers, and visitors who have nurtured and safeguarded them over the past five decades,” said Director of Parks and Recreation Holly Cabel.

The St. Charles Park District’s own roots are more than 100 years old. In 1911, with the Township Act, the St. Charles Township Park District was established, as it was one of the first park districts in the state. The commissioners for the St. Charles Township Park District were Bert C. Norris, David S. Wilson and W.P. Lillibridge.

One year later in 1912, it purchased Pottawatomie Park from the St. Charles Hotel and Park Company, for the cost of $8,100.

In 1967 voters approved the formation of the St. Charles Park District, creating a separate taxing body, that would manage public park and recreation services for the residents of St. Charles Township. Then, in 1975 the park district acquired additional parks from the City of St. Charles.

Each park has its own story, and there are markers on stones in several parks to highlight the history. Some parks have simple stories, like Fairview Park which was built in the development of a new subdivision and given to the city, which then sold it to the St. Charles Park District.

Some parks have intrigue in their founding and namesake. The history of Hazeltine Park goes back well over 100 years, named for August A. Hazeltine, born in 1845. She was a primary school teacher from 1866-1916. She never married. The park was originally the land where she lived, having inherited it from her father, but the challenges of a woman owning property at that time created a dispute. Hazeltine would eventually win her case shortly before her death in 1917. The small park was established in 1920.

Located near downtown St. Charles, Lincoln Park, once known as West Side Park, has long been a favorite destination, known for its gazebo. The St. Charles Park Foundation raised funds and oversaw the construction of a new gazebo to replace the aging one in the park, incorporating the architectural designs also seen in Pottawatomie Park’s historic pavilion.

On the other side of the Fox River was East Side Park, established in the 1920s and donated to the City in the 1930s. On Colonel Edward J. Baker’s 89th birthday in September 1957, the park was officially named Baker Memorial Park in his honor for his contributions of buildings and philanthropy that beautify and serve the community to this day.

Some of these parks were neighborhood playgrounds, and in fashion with the times, used metal equipment. The rocket memorial structure in Kehoe Park was once a part of its playground slide when the park was established in 1962, locals often referred to it as the “Rocket Park.” It has such an iconic look and became so much a part of the neighborhood that when the playground equipment was decommissioned after 60 years of usage in 2022, the park district retained it as an artistic statue.

“From hosting summer concerts downtown St. Charles to leisurely picnics in dedicated open space, these parks are woven into the fabric of cultural and recreational life across our neighborhoods,” said Erika Young, marketing manager for the St. Charles Park District.

Preservation of the past, forward thinking to the future and creating spaces for all to use, remains at the heart of the St. Charles Park District, where each day brings new memories for visitors of all ages enjoying leisure time at its finest.