John Chavis Memorial Park facts for kids
<mapframe latitude="35.769416" longitude="-78.630057" zoom="16" width="400" height="300" align="right" /> John Chavis Memorial Park, often called Chavis Park, is a fun public park in Raleigh, North Carolina. It covers almost 29 acres. The park is located near Shaw University in the South Park neighborhood.
Chavis Park first opened in 1937. On its opening day, many people came from all over North Carolina. A special old carousel is still a main attraction there today. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 2016. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
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Discovering Chavis Park's History
Chavis Park is named after John Chavis. He was a free Black educator and a minister. He also fought in the American Revolutionary War. In 1808, John Chavis opened his first school. It was located close to where the park is now.
How Chavis Park Was Built
The park was built in 1937. It officially opened in 1938. Money for the park came from the Works Progress Administration. This was a government program that created jobs. Local groups also helped fund the park.
Chavis Park was created during a time of Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced racial segregation. The park was meant to be "separate but equal" to Pullen Park. Pullen Park allowed Black Americans to picnic but not use its swimming pool or other areas. Chavis Park was built for the Black community. It quickly became a popular spot. People from all over Eastern North Carolina visited it during segregation.
The Park's Original Look
G. Robert Derick designed Chavis Park. He was a landscape architect for the National Park Service. He wanted the park to blend with nature. He used natural materials like brown and tan stone. These materials were used for the amphitheater and two bridges.
The park also had shelters made of rough logs. These blended in with the tall trees. The original park featured a historic carousel, a swimming pool, and picnic areas. Later, fields for track and baseball were added.
Changes After Segregation
After Raleigh ended segregation, the park was updated. In 1972, the Olympic-sized swimming pool was made smaller. A new community center was also built.
In 2013, the famous carousel moved. It went from the center of the park to a special climate-controlled building. The old carousel pavilion is still in its original spot. The City of Raleigh has continued to improve the park. A new community center was finished in June 2021. It was dedicated to John Chavis on June 12, 2021.
Fun Attractions at Chavis Park
The most popular attraction at Chavis Park is its old carousel. It is a special ride from the early 1900s.
The Historic Chavis Park Carousel
The Chavis Park Carousel is a very unique ride. It is an Allan Herschell Carousel, made around 1913. The park bought it for $4,000 in 1937. It has a Wurlitzer band organ that plays music. The carousel also features beautiful oil paintings of nature scenes.
There are thirty-six jumping horses on the carousel. Each horse is hand-carved and hand-painted. Like the carousel at Pullen Park, it is one of fewer than 300 left in the world. The carousel is a stop on Raleigh's Historic Capital City Trail.
Park Facilities and Amenities
Chavis Park offers many indoor and outdoor spaces. You can use them for fun or even rent them for events. The park has a playground and tennis courts. There is also a swimming pool and a community center.
Other facilities include picnic shelters, a gymnasium, and a lit outdoor track. You can also find a fitness center and a game room. Part of Raleigh's Capital Area Greenway runs through the park. This is called Little Rock Trail.
A Place on the National Register of Historic Places
John Chavis Memorial Park is important enough to be on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it has special historical value.
The park meets two main reasons for this honor:
- It is important for entertainment, recreation, and Black history.
- It is also recognized for its landscape design at the state level.
The park's most important historical period was from 1937 to 1965.
