Iverson Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Iverson Park
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Location	US Hwy 10, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Public transit access	Central Transportation

Iverson Park is a fun park located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It's right by the Plover River and part of the Green Circle Trail. This huge park is over 100 acres! You can go swimming, explore hiking trails, or even rent canoes and other cool gear. Some people also call it the Plover Hills.

The Story of Iverson Park

How the Park Began

The idea for Iverson Park started when the city built water pumps near the Plover River. This was where Highway 10 crosses the river today. Before the park was made, people loved swimming in the river at spots called Red Bridge and The Stumps.

Back then, Stevens Point got its drinking water from a private company. This company pumped water from the Wisconsin River. But people worried if the water was clean enough.

Getting Clean Water for the City

To get cleaner water, the city decided to buy the private company. This happened on January 3, 1922. New pumps were set up to get water from the Plover River. This water was much cleaner! The city even got a new slogan: "the City of Wonderful Water."

Building the Park

After getting clean water, the city started building the park. In 1922 and 1923, they built a cool sandstone pump house. This building is still there today and is used for storage. Its design became the style for all other buildings in the park.

People in Stevens Point then talked about making a swimming beach and park. In April 1926, work began to create a public park. By August, the riverbanks were cleared, but some trees were left for shade.

They made a shallow beach for younger kids. A deeper swimming area was built about 200 yards away for older kids. By summer 1927, the park had two bathhouses and a parking area. Picnic tables were placed under the trees. Stone pillars were added at the entrance, and a wall was built along the river to stop erosion. A bridge was built over the river with two springboards for diving!

The park even hired its first lifeguard, William Rellaban. Electric lights were also put up. All these buildings have been updated and are still used today.

The Park Gets a Name

The new park had many nicknames, like Redbridge Park and Plover Hills Park. On June 6, 1929, it was officially named Robertson Park. This was to honor Edward B. Robertson. He was the head of the Water Commission and first dreamed of turning the area into a playground.

In 1930, the American Legion offered free bus rides to the park. This made it even more popular! In 1933, the swimming area was made bigger.

The City Takes Over the Park

In April 1934, a state group said it was against the rules for the Water Commission to spend money on the park. It cost about $2,500 a year to keep the park nice. So, the Water Commission asked the City of Stevens Point to take over.

The City Council agreed! A new parks department was created. The city continued to improve the park. By June 1936, they built a modern bathhouse and a dam to control water levels. They also added rustic bridges and a cooking fireplace. One of the bridges was very famous and appeared on postcards. That bridge is gone, but a new one in the same style was built in 1973.

A Big Gift from Jules Iverson

As traffic grew on the nearby highway, people worried about kids crossing the road. The city wanted to buy land next to the park. This would allow a safer park entrance on a local street.

A woman named Mrs. Theresa Green owned the land and was willing to sell it for $5,000. The city couldn't afford it. But a kind man named Jules Iverson could! Jules was an immigrant from Denmark. He owned a jewelry store and was one of the richest men in the city. He was known for helping with public projects.

In June 1935, Jules bought the 63 acres from Mrs. Green and gave it to the city! This made the park over 100 acres. The new land was named Jules Iverson Memorial Park. For a few years, the older part of the park was still called Robertson Park.

Help from the Works Progress Administration

During the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt started the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This program created jobs by having people work on public projects. The WPA helped Iverson Park a lot!

From 1935 to 1938, many projects happened. They cleaned the Plover River and filled in low areas. They also built a stone memorial for Jules Iverson. The bathhouses were updated, and new shelters and a toilet building were constructed. Many stone bridges and more bathhouses were built. All these WPA structures are still standing today!

By the end of 1938, the swimming area was moved to make it even bigger. Most of the building work finished by 1940. The WPA program ended because of World War II.

What You Can Do at Iverson Park Today

Iverson Park is still a popular place to visit! You can find a toboggan run and sled hills that were built in the 1940s. These are still used and kept in good shape. There's also a Winter Recreational Facility with an ice rink.

The city of Stevens Point is dedicated to keeping the park wonderful. The community has even voted to allow more money to be spent on keeping the park running. You can also rent out areas in the park for events. This helps bring in money for the parks department.