Timeline

Photo courtesy of Jacksonville Historic Society

Historic information has been obtained from the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; the Olmsted Historic Site, Brookline, Massachusetts; the Memorial Park Association archives held at the Jacksonville Historic Society, and the Jacksonville Public Library, and other sources around the country.

Park Timeline

1997

A tornado destroys nine large trees in the park.

1998

Mrs. Snead Davis gives two Live Oak trees in memory of her former husband Mr. A.D. Davis.

1999

Flagpoles are donated by Dr. G. Dekle Taylor.

2001-2002

Phase 2 of landscape restoration begins.

2002-2004

The city restores the plaza area of the park, using original bricks, repairs the pool basin and repairs the balustrades along the river.

2004

Two marble benches, copies of the original, are given by Mr. Randall Berg in memory of his brother, Captain Henry Challen Berg who died during World War II and by Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Walton and family in memory of Mildred Adams Walton and William H. Walton.

2004-2005
2004-2005

The sculpture is cleaned and repaired by Patrick Rice, Objects Conservation, St. Louis Missouri. The cost is shared by the Parks Department and Memorial Park Association.

2010
2010

The Association completes a $90,000 fundraising effort for two new bronze eagles.

2011

Two bronze eagles, sculpted by Diane LaFond Insetta, are added to the plaza.

2012

Memorial Park Association initiates major planning effort to restore/rehabilitate the park to its original grandeur.