Esther Short Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Esther Short Park |
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The Salmon Run Bell Tower, in the park's Propstra Square
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| Type | Public park |
| Location | downtown Vancouver, Washington |
| Created | 1853 |
Esther Short Park is a fun public park and town square. You can find it in downtown Vancouver, Washington. It was created in 1853. This makes it the oldest public park in the state of Washington. It is also one of the oldest public parks in the entire Western United States.
The park is located in the city's downtown area. It sits between West Columbia and 8th Street. Esther Short gave the land for the park to the city in 1862. Today, the park has many cool features. There is a children's playground and a beautiful rose garden. You can also see a large fountain system made of basalt rock. The Salmon Run Bell Tower is another special landmark. The historic Slocum House is also in the park. On weekends, the park hosts a popular farmer's market. In the summer, the park often has free outdoor concerts.
Who Was Esther Short?
Esther Short was an important early resident of Vancouver. She and her husband, Amos, along with their ten children, settled on land near what is now downtown Vancouver. This land was originally claimed by Henry Williamson. He had planned a town called Vancouver City.
After Amos Short passed away, Esther Short worked to claim the land. She eventually gained ownership of part of it. This included the area where Esther Short Park is now. The Catholic Church and Vancouver City also received parts of the original land. Esther also allowed ferry boats to land on her property. This was at the foot of what is now Washington Street. She even ran a restaurant and hotel there called The Alta House.
The park land was given as a public space by Esther. She did this after Amos died in a shipwreck. Some of her other land is now part of the Port of Vancouver. The park also features a statue called The Pioneer Mother Memorial. It was created in 1928 by Avard Fairbanks.
Making the Park Better
Years ago, downtown Vancouver was not as lively. The park needed some improvements. In 1996, a newspaper article mentioned that the park was a busy spot for emergency calls.
To make the park better, city leaders decided to help. Mayor Royce Pollard and others worked hard to improve the area. The park received over $5.67 million in special funding. This helped bring in $220 million for new buildings and projects around the park.
Many people believe the effort to fix up the park started in 1997. Mayor Pollard was holding events to make the park a family-friendly place. During one event, a person pushed the mayor. This event helped bring a lot of public support to improve the park. People wanted to make it a safe and fun place for everyone.
In 2007, the park won the "Development of Excellence" award. This award came from the Urban Land Institute. In 2013, the American Planning Association honored it. They named Esther Short Park one of the nation's "ten great public spaces." This shows how much the park has improved!
