An article in the Elizabethville Echo of July 29, 1920 provided architectural plans and description of the proposed park for the Borough of Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania:
Harrisburg, July 28 [1920] — Completed pans for the development of the proposed park and recreation center at Elizabethville were turned over to members of the Borough Council last night by Karl B. Lohmann, Landscape Architect of the Bureau of Municipalities in the Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs. Some time ago officials in Elizabethville made application to Secretary of Internal Affairs, James F. Woodward and J. Herman Knisley, Chief of the Bureau of Municipalities, for the services of a landscape architect to design plans for the development of a park area which extends along Main Street.
Mr. Lohmann went to Elizabethville and made a preliminary study after conferring with borough officials. The completed plans turned over last night are the results of the additional comprehensive studies and surveys.
The park tract is rather irregular in contour as well as in boundary, with trees, springs, slopes and occasional level places, all of which contribute greatly to the natural charm and usefulness of the tract. It was Mr. Lohmann’s idea in planning the park development that as much of the natural advantages as possible should be preserved. At one corner of the area the plans call for an outdoor theatre, bordered by trees and shrubberies. Dressing rooms are also provided for in the plan by the proper placing of shrubbery. The stage would be of turf and shrubbery and the natural slope would take care of the seating arrangement. Adjoining the proposed open-air theatre is an existing peach orchard, the property of the borough. Mr. Lohmann has suggested that the orchard be maintained and that the proceeds from the sale of peaches be used in helping defray the expenses of maintaining the park. Tennis courts, baseball diamond, football field, swimming pool, picnic grounds and an area on which would be placed modern play ground apparatus, take up other parts of the park tract. Along the western end of the park grounds is a beautiful picnic grove with numerous springs of bubbling water. South of the grove is an open glade which could be used for open air games. Just north of the grove Mr. Lohman proposes placing a swimming pool and bath house, water for the pool being furnished from the springs in the picnic grove. Parking places for automobiles are also provided for n the plan so that automobile parties from the surrounding territory may be able to visit Elizabethville and enjoy the advantages the town offers.
Over the entire park area the plans call for pretty winding paths and walks to the principal points of interest.
As the result of his park study, Mr. Lohmann has suggested to the Borough Council that Main Street be continued with a width of sixty feet until it passes the park area. Cedar Alley, which he believes, will in the future, be made to serve vehicular traffic leading to and from the southwest portion of the park, he says should be widened on the park side from its present width of fourteen feet to a new width of 20 feet.
Under the provisions of an act creating the department of Internal Affairs, municipalities of the State may secure the services of the bureau’s city planners and land scape architects and other experts in working out municipal problems at no cost to the municipality. Elizabethville is only one of the numerous municipalities in Pennsylvania which have called on the Bureau of Municipalities for such services.
A 2021 satellite view of the overall area where the park is located is shown below. It was obtained from GoogleMaps.
The satellite view shows a greatly expanded area for the park as it developed over the more than 100 years since it was first envisioned. The swimming pool, shown along Cedar Street in 2021 before it was demolished, is to the west of where the architect had proposed for it to be placed. There are three ball fields rather than the one that is on the original drawing. And, some properties that were originally included in the park have gone into private hands as taxables.
A more complete explanation of the development of the park and its facilities can be found in the Souvenir Book for the Elizabethville Sesquicentennial, 1817-1967.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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