Maria Pellegrino Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maria Pellegrino Park |
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| Type | Municipal park |
| Location | Marble Hill, Missouri, 63764 United States |
| Area | 31 acres (13 ha) |
| Elevation | 479 ft (146 m) |
| Created | June 4, 1972 |
| Founder | Frank P. Pellegrino |
| Owned by | City of Marble Hill |
| Website | Pellegrino Park |
Maria Pellegrino Park is a fun public park in Marble Hill, Missouri. It's the biggest of five parks in the city. At Pellegrino Park, you can find tennis courts, playgrounds, and picnic areas. There are also restrooms, a forest, and a two-acre lake perfect for fishing.
The park was first planned in 1969 and officially opened in 1972. It was built on 31 acres of land owned by the city. The park was started by Frank P. Pellegrino, who was a leader at the International Hat Company. This company had a factory in Marble Hill that employed many people until 1989. The park was built on land right next to the factory, which the company donated. Frank Pellegrino named the park after his mother, Maria Pellegrino, who was Italian-American. A plaque at the entrance says the park honors her kindness and care for others.
Contents
Park History
How the Park Started
In 1969, Frank P. Pellegrino, who led the International Hat Company in St. Louis, Missouri, offered to create a new park. He chose the city of Lutesville (now part of Marble Hill) because his company had a factory there. He wanted to thank the local employees and townspeople. Frank Pellegrino believed in making life better in the places where his factories were located. This was the second park he built near one of his factories. The first was George Tilles, Jr. Park in Oran, Missouri, built in 1962.
Building the Park
Pellegrino gave the land in 1969 and agreed to pay for the park's features. This included sports areas, park roads, playground equipment, a small shelter, and planting trees. When the land was given to the city, it was just an empty field. Building the park began in 1970 after local voters approved Pellegrino's generous gift.
The two-acre lake was finished by February 1971. A road was also cleared around the lake that same month. The first fifteen picnic tables were paid for by the US government. Workers from the Office of Economic Opportunity built them. Only one shelter was planned at first. But a larger one was added in 1971 after the International Hat Company donated more money. The first park board president, Gene Ward, said the large shelter would be named the Frank Pellegrino Shelter. This honored Pellegrino's 50 years of work for the company.
Grand Opening Day
The park officially opened on June 4, 1972, with a big celebration. More than 800 people came to the event. Frank Pellegrino, along with local mayors and other important people, helped cut the ribbon. The mayors even declared June 4 as "Pellegrino Appreciation Day" in their cities. A state representative also read an official thank you from the Missouri House of Representatives. It thanked Pellegrino for his many gifts to the state over the years.
Park Updates
In 1976, a person named Larma A. Wisely set up a fund to build a public swimming pool in Pellegrino Park. In 1990, the city of Marble Hill received $682,000 from Larma Wisely's will. However, the pool was built outside the park in 1992 and named after her. Later, the park's roads were repaved when Russell P. "Bat" Masterson was mayor (2009–2011).
What's in the Park
The park is next to Missouri Highway 34 on its north side. Forests surround the park to the south and west. To the east, there is an industrial building. This building used to be the International Hat Company factory.
Pellegrino Lake
Pellegrino Lake is a two-acre lake located in the southern part of the park. In 2016, the Missouri Department of Conservation started working with Marble Hill to help manage the fish in the lake. A scientist named Jason Crites began watching the lake's fish and environment. On May 21, 2016, the Department of Conservation held an event at the lake. They taught people how to fish, including casting and tying knots. The city hopes this project will bring more visitors who enjoy fishing to Marble Hill.
Fun Activities
Since 2007, a local group called Christmas in the Foothills has hosted an annual ice block racing event at Pellegrino Park. This is a fun activity where people slide down a hill on large blocks of ice. They use a tarp to protect the grass during the race. In 2009, money raised from this event helped build a community stage at Magnolia Park.
Some local people also cut wood in the park for their own use. The City of Marble Hill allows this if you get a special permit from city hall.
Park Management
In 2012, new city officials in Marble Hill looked into the policy of cutting trees in Pellegrino Park. A new alderwoman, Beverly Johnson, wondered about the city's plan to hire a logging crew. This crew would cut down trees on a 14.8-acre wooded area and sell the wood. In 2014, bids were taken for cutting 74 black oak, 10 white oak, 8 scarlet oak, 9 black cherry, and 12 other types of trees. The city planned to sell the timber to help pay for important city repairs. These repairs included fixing sewer systems and water pipes, which were damaged by past flooding.
Images for kids
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Frank Pellegrino giving opening ceremony park dedication speech.
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Maria Pellegrino dedication plaque at park entrance.
