Moody Park facts for kids
Moody Park is a public park located in the Near Northside area of Houston, Texas. It first opened in 1925 and is looked after by the Houston Parks Department. This park was also the location of important events in 1978.
Contents
History of Moody Park
How Moody Park Began
The city of Houston bought land for the park in 1923. They spent about $18,000 to get the first 120 pieces of land. Later that year, they bought 6 more pieces for $8,000. Construction on the park started soon after.
The park officially opened in 1925. It was named after Alvin S. Moody, who was a local politician. A politician is someone who works in government to help lead a city or country.
Adding Fun Things to the Park
Over the years, the city slowly added more features to Moody Park as money became available. By 1939, the park had a small gym and rooms for meetings. A public swimming pool was built in 1953. Baseball fields were also added between the 1940s and 1977.
In 1978, a cool sculpture called “The Vaquero” was put in the park. It was made by artist Luis A. Jimenez using fiberglass.
Important Events in 1978
On May 7, 1978, some important events happened at Moody Park. These events started as protests. People were upset about how a Mexican-American man named Jose Campos Torres had been treated by the police. He had been arrested and later died while with the police.
The protests became very serious. Many people were arrested, and some were hurt. There was also a lot of damage to businesses and police cars. These events caused more tension between the police and the Hispanic community in Houston. However, they also led to important changes in how the police worked.
Modern Updates to the Park
In 1986, the community center at the park was rebuilt. The new building was designed by architect W. Jackson Wisdom and cost over $1 million. In 2014, the park got even more updates. A large 7,000-square-foot addition was built, and other parts of the park were improved.
In 2013, construction began on an expanded train line called METRORail. The new line started running on December 21, 2013. The Moody Park Station is conveniently located right next to the park.
