Olcott Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Olcott Park |
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A gazebo at the center of Olcott Park
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| Type | City park |
| Location | Virginia, Minnesota, United States |
| Area | 40 acres (16 ha) |
Olcott Park is a fun city park in Virginia, Minnesota, United States. It's a great spot for families and friends to enjoy the outdoors. This park offers lots of space to play and relax.
Park History: How Olcott Park Began
Olcott Park was named after William J. Olcott. He was an important person at the Oliver Iron Mining Company. In 1905, his company first let the city use the land. The city paid only $1 a year, as long as they also paid the taxes on the land.
Later, in 1939, the city decided to buy the park land. They paid $9,015 to own it completely. This made sure the park would always be there for everyone in Virginia.
Exploring Olcott Park: What You'll Find
Olcott Park in Virginia, Minnesota, is a huge area, about 40-acre (16 ha). It's located on the north side of town. The park has clear borders, making it easy to find.
To the north, you'll find 9th Street North and the Essentia Health/Virginia Regional Medical Center. On the west side, there's the Calvary Cemetery. To the east, you'll see North 9th Avenue West and the city's Heritage Museum. The south side of the park is next to the Parkview Learning Center and some baseball fields.
The park has a large playground area, perfect for kids to have fun. In the middle of the park, there's a bandstand. The Virginia City Band often plays music there during the summer. It's a great place to listen to live music.
In the northern part of the park, you can still see a fountain. This fountain was built a long time ago during the Great Depression. It was updated and looked new again in 2019. On the southern edge of the park, there's an old structure. Before World War II, this building used to house animals like monkeys and bear cubs.
The Olcott Park Greenhouse: A World of Plants
The Olcott Park Greenhouse is a special building where plants are grown. It's about 4,500-square-foot (420 m2) in size. The city of Virginia runs this greenhouse. You can find it inside Olcott Park, at North 9th Avenue West and 7th Street North.
The best part is that it's open to everyone all year round, and it's free to visit! This greenhouse was built in the 1930s. It has three different rooms. The main room has a wonderful collection of unique and exotic plants.
You can see everything from small plants to large Ponderosa lemon trees with real fruit. There are also interesting cacti and succulents. You might spot big agave plants, tall palm trees, and ficus trees. In the past, this greenhouse was famous for its huge begonia flower shows. These shows brought in thousands of visitors! The other two greenhouses were used to grow plants for flower beds all over the city.
