Overton Park facts for kids
- Overton Park may also refer to the U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
Quick facts for kids |
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Overton Park Historic District
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Overton Park Billboard
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | Memphis, Tennessee (Midtown) |
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| Area | 342 acres (138 ha) |
| Architect | George E. Kessler |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002475 |
| Added to NRHP | October 25, 1979 |
Overton Park is a huge public park located in Midtown, Memphis, Tennessee. It covers about 342 acres, which is like 250 football fields! This park is home to many cool places. You can find the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the Memphis Zoo, and a 9-hole golf course here.
The park also has the Memphis College of Art, Rainbow Lake, and Veterans Plaza. One of the best parts is the Old Forest Arboretum of Overton Park. It's a special natural area with very old trees. You can walk on trails and see different kinds of trees with labels.
Contents
Park History: How Overton Park Began
Buying the Land for the Park
The land for Overton Park was once known as Lea's Woods. The city of Memphis bought it on November 14, 1901. They paid $110,000 for it. At that time, this area was right on the edge of the city.
Designing the Park
A famous landscape architect named George Kessler designed Overton Park. He also planned other parks and parkways for Memphis. The planning started in 1901, and the park officially opened in 1906.
Who Was Overton Park Named After?
The park is named after John Overton. He was one of the people who helped start the city of Memphis. A local newspaper held a contest to choose the park's name. People voted for Andrew Jackson, John Overton, or James Winchester. John Overton's name won, and the park was officially named on July 25, 1902.
Saving Overton Park from a Highway
In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a big fight over Overton Park. City planners wanted to build Interstate 40 right through the park. This would have destroyed 26 acres of the park. They thought it would make it easier for people to drive to downtown Memphis.
A group of local residents formed "Citizens to Preserve Overton Park." They went to court to stop the highway. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with them! This was a very important case called Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe.
Even after the Supreme Court ruling, some officials still wanted to build the highway. They suggested building it in a tunnel or a deep ditch. But in 1978, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This made it much harder to use federal money for projects that would harm the park. This decision helped protect Overton Park for good.
Car-Free Days in the Park
Starting in 1974, the roads inside Overton Park began closing to cars on weekends. These were called "People's Days." People really liked this idea, and by 1987, the roads were closed to cars permanently. Only official park vehicles can drive on them now.
Who Manages the Park Today?
Since December 6, 2011, a group called the Overton Park Conservancy has managed a large part of the park. They take care of areas like the East Picnic Area, the Greensward, and the Old Forest. Other parts, like the Zoo and the Brooks Museum, are managed separately.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
The Brooks Museum is an art museum located inside Overton Park. It opened in 1916, making it the oldest and largest art museum in Tennessee. It has 29 galleries filled with amazing art.
The museum's collection includes over 7,000 pieces of art. You can see paintings, sculptures, drawings, and photographs. It's a great place to explore different types of art! In 2017, the museum announced it would move to a new location downtown.
Levitt Shell: A Stage for Music
Overton Park is also home to the famous Levitt Shell theater. This is where Elvis Presley gave his first paid concert on July 30, 1954!
The city of Memphis built the Shell in 1936 with help from the Works Progress Administration. It was part of the "New Deal" program. The Shell was designed like other outdoor stages in big cities. After many years, it was renovated and renamed the Levitt Shell in 2007. Now, free concerts are held there again!
Memphis College of Art
The Memphis College of Art is a private college located in Overton Park. It offers degrees in art and design. Students can study things like graphic design, painting, photography, and animation.
The college moved into its Overton Park buildings in 1959. About 450 students attend each year. Sadly, due to money problems, the college stopped accepting new students in 2017 and will close after its current students graduate.
Memphis Zoo: Home to Amazing Animals
The Memphis Zoo started in Overton Park in 1906. It all began when a local resident had a pet black bear he couldn't keep. He put it in a pen in the park, and many people came to see it. This gave people the idea to bring more animals to the park.
Today, the Memphis Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the United States. It welcomes about 1 million visitors every year! The zoo is home to over 3,500 animals from more than 500 different species. It has famous pandas and even polar bears in its Northwest Passage exhibit.
The Zoo covers about 76 acres of land within Overton Park. In 2008, TripAdvisor.com named the Memphis Zoo the "#1 Zoo in the U.S." The zoo has spent over $77 million to improve and expand its exhibits since the 1990s.
Zoo and the Old Forest
In 2008, the Memphis Zoo cleared about 4 acres of the old growth forest in the Old Forest Arboretum. They did this to build a new exhibit called Teton Trek. This exhibit features animals from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, like grizzly bears and gray wolves.
Some groups, like Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, were not happy about the forest being cleared. Because of this, the Old Forest Arboretum was made a State Natural Area. This helps protect the forest. The Zoo also has a conservation department that works to protect plants and animals.
Overton Golf Course
The Overton Park Golf Course is a 9-hole course in the park. It's a par 34 course, which means a good golfer should finish it in 34 strokes. It has different starting points for players of all skill levels. The golf course was built in 1926.
Outdoor Fun in Overton Park
More than half of Overton Park is used for outdoor activities and protecting nature. You can enjoy picnics, jogging, hiking, and studying nature. There's even a special area for dogs to play off-leash. The Overton Park Conservancy manages these areas.
Dog Park: Overton Bark
Overton Bark is a fenced-in dog park that opened in June 2012. It's about 1.3 acres big. There are separate areas for large and small dogs, and water is available for them.
Formal Gardens
The Formal Gardens are beautiful areas with walkways, benches, and flower beds. They were created in 1904-1905. You can see many colorful seasonal flowers here. The gardens also have evergreen and deciduous trees. A memorial to a famous Memphis educator, Clara Conway, was once here.
Greensward: Open Space for Play
The Greensward is one of the largest open areas in Memphis, covering about 21 acres. It's a big grassy field with no special purpose other than outdoor fun! You can play frisbee or soccer, jog, have a picnic, or fly kites. People of all ages use the Greensward. Sometimes, part of it is used for extra parking when the Memphis Zoo is very busy.
In 2009, there was a plan to dig a large basin in the Greensward to help with flooding. This would have made a big dip in the field. Many people were against this plan because it would damage the park. Luckily, the city decided not to go ahead with it.
Old Forest Arboretum: A Natural Treasure
The Old Forest Arboretum is a 172-acre forest within Overton Park. It's a natural arboretum, which means it's like a living museum of trees. It's open to everyone every day for free. The Old Forest is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has over 300 different kinds of plants. You can walk on trails and see markers that identify 32 different tree species.
Tennessee State Natural Area
In 2011, 126 acres of the Old Forest were named the "Old Forest State Natural Area." This special protection helps keep the forest safe. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation helps manage these natural areas.
Picnic Areas
Overton Park has an East Picnic Area with many picnic tables under old oak trees. The "Picnic Pavilion" is in the middle of this area. It was built in 1904 and is the oldest building in Overton Park. It's a hexagonal wooden building. You can also find picnic tables near the Greensward and Veterans Plaza.
Playgrounds for Kids
There are two playgrounds in Overton Park. One is in the East Picnic Area, and the other is near the Greensward. The first playground in Overton Park was built in 1911. It was the first public playground in Memphis!
Rainbow Lake
Rainbow Lake is a 2-acre lake that forms the eastern edge of the Greensward. It has a curvy shape and a small waterfall. A sidewalk goes all the way around the lake. Its name comes from the rainbow effect created by fountains that used to be there. It's the only water feature left from George Kessler's original park design.
Veterans Plaza: Honoring Heroes
Veterans Plaza is a special area in Overton Park that honors people from Memphis and Shelby County who served in the United States military and died defending freedom. It's located south of the Memphis Zoo. This 2-acre area has memorials for different wars.
- World War I (1926 and 1932)
- World War II (2001)
- Korean War (2003)
- Vietnam War (2003)
- Desert Storm (2003)
A plaque says that these memorials honor 1,525 veterans from Shelby County who died in wars during the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Doughboy statue is a famous World War I memorial. It was made in 1926 from copper pennies collected by local schoolchildren! The "Memory Grove" Memorial also honors World War I soldiers. A statue of Margaret Polk, who the famous Memphis Belle plane was named after, is also here.
The memorials for World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Desert Storm are white stone walls with bronze panels. These panels list the names of soldiers who died. Flags like the American Flag and the Tennessee State Flag are displayed here. Special ceremonies are often held at Veterans Plaza on days like Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Other Important Memorials
Overton Park has several other memorials that honor important people from Memphis.
- Higbee Memorial: This memorial honors Jenny M. Higbee, a respected Memphis educator. It was built in 1908 and is the oldest memorial in the park.
- J.T. Willingham Fountain: Built in 1917, this fountain honors a long-time member of the Memphis Park Commission. It has six columns and benches.
- Bell Tower: This tower was built in 1930 to remember Judge L. B. McFarland, one of the first members of the Memphis Park Commission.
- E.H. Crump Statue: This statue, built in 1957, honors E.H. Crump. He was the Mayor of Memphis from 1910 to 1915.
Past Features of Overton Park
Main Pavilion
The Main Pavilion was the park's main gathering spot from 1902 until a storm damaged it in 1936. It was the first building in Overton Park. Many public dances, concerts, and events were held there. Famous aviator Charles Lindbergh even spoke there in 1927!
Japanese Garden
In 1914, a Japanese garden was built around a pond in Overton Park. It was a gift from Robert Galloway, a park commissioner. The garden had pagodas, a bridge, and sculptures. It was a very popular spot for photos. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the garden was damaged by vandals. Park officials decided to remove the structures in 1942.
Bower Wading Pool
The Bower Wading Pool was a popular spot for summer fun from 1913 until the 1970s. It was filled in during a playground expansion in 1979.
