East Park (Mason City, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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East Park Historic District
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Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad steam engine (1912)
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by the Winnebago R., N. Carolina, N. Kentucky & N. Virginia Aves., CPRR tracks, E. State St., Mason City, Iowa |
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| Area | 57.6 acres (23.3 ha) |
| Architect | Frank E. Pease |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000855 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 2014 |
East Park is a fantastic place to visit in Mason City, Iowa, USA. It's a big park where you can have lots of fun outdoors! This park is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. This means it's an important historical spot in the country.
East Park covers about 57.6 acres of land right next to the Winnebago River. There are so many things to do here! You can enjoy picnic areas, play a 9-hole disc golf game, or challenge friends on the three tennis courts, volleyball court, or basketball courts. If you like fishing, you can do that too! In winter, there's a fun sledding hill.
The park also has playgrounds, including the cool Prairie Playground. You can walk, run, or bike on the 2.08 mile (3.35 km) hard surface trail system. For events and concerts, there's a band shell and a lovely gazebo.
Discover East Park's History
How East Park Began
East Park was created in 1909. It was the second park built for fun and relaxation in Mason City. A talented landscape architect named Frank E. Pease from Des Moines, Iowa designed the park. He planned the park's curvy roads to show off the flat prairie and rolling hills.
Pease also designed the park's water system. This includes Willow Creek and a duck pond. The pond was made from a marshy area on the park's east side. In 1937, a group called the Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped out. They added concrete edges to Willow Creek and special concrete spillways. This helped control the water during floods. Over the years, the park grew bigger. It reached its current size of 57.6 acres in 1957.
Special Spots in the Park
The East Park Band Shell was built in 1924. It's so important that it's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places by itself! You can find it near the middle of the park. Other cool historical parts of the park include two picnic shelters. Shelter #1 was built by the WPA in 1937, and Shelter #4 was added in 1965.
The park's tennis courts were part of Pease's original idea. They were finally built by the WPA in 1937. There's also a stone footbridge from around 1937, also built by the WPA. A building for the Parks Department maintenance crew was built in 1956.
One of the most exciting things in the park is a real Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway steam engine! This old train engine from 1912 was placed in the park in 1957. You can find it near the railroad tracks. Some newer parts of the park were built after 1970. These newer additions are still great for fun, but they are not considered part of the park's original historic design.
