Palmer Park (Detroit) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Palmer Park |
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Palmer Park's Merrill Humane Fountain, July 2013
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| Location | Detroit, Michigan |
| Area | 296-acre (120 ha) |
| Created | 1895 |
| Operated by | City of Detroit |
| Open | All year |
| Status | Open |
Palmer Park is a huge public park in Detroit, Michigan. It covers about 296 acres, which is like 225 football fields! The park is named after U.S. Senator Thomas Witherell Palmer. He was a kind person who gave the land for the park in 1893. He wanted the beautiful, untouched forest to be saved.
Today, Palmer Park has many cool things to do. You can find a historic log cabin, a public golf course, tennis courts, and trails for hiking and biking. There's also a big pond called Lake Frances.
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Discovering Palmer Park's Past
The story of Palmer Park began in 1893. That's when U.S. Senator Thomas Witherell Palmer gave 140 acres of his land to the city. His main rule was that the original forest should stay wild and untouched.
Senator Palmer had inherited some of this land. Over his life, he bought more, owning a lot of property. After he and his wife, Lizzie Pitts Merrill Palmer, passed away, their friends and family developed the land nearby. This area is now known as the Palmer Park Apartment Building Historic District. It's even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In total, 296 acres became Palmer Park. Senator Palmer first called it "Log Cabin Park." But in 1897, the Detroit Common Council (like the city's government) officially renamed it Palmer Park.
The park used to have a large white wooden building called a casino. Sadly, it burned down in May 1945.
In 2010, the city thought about closing Palmer Park because of money problems. But people held a big rally, and the city decided to keep it open!
Helping Palmer Park Thrive
During the 1970s and early 1980s, a group called the Palmer Park Citizens Action Council was very active. They organized fun festivals and even had a CB radio patrol to help keep the park safe. They also got money to make improvements to the park.
People for Palmer Park
Today, a group called People for Palmer Park helps keep the park amazing. This nonprofit organization started in 2010. They work with the City of Detroit to fix up and improve the park. For example, in 2012, they helped open the Palmer Log Cabin to the public for a special event. This event helped raise money to restore the cabin.
Tee Off at Palmer Park Golf Course
Palmer Park Golf Course is an 18-hole golf course right inside the park. It's a popular spot for golf games and tournaments. Since 1927, many famous Detroiters have played here. This includes Motown music stars like Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Four Tops. Even famous boxer Joe Louis played golf here!
The course is mostly flat and not too long. The City of Detroit owns the golf course. They are looking for new groups to help manage it.
Exploring Lake Frances
Lake Frances is a man-made lake with small islands. It even has a tiny red-and-white lighthouse that used to be lit by an oil lamp! Senator Palmer asked for this lake to be built, and he named it after his mother-in-law.
There used to be another lake west of where the Splash Park is now. It was called Lake Harold. It had an island and a waterfall. Some local stories say that the great Native American leader, Chief Pontiac, was buried near the waterfall. In the 1950s, Lake Harold was filled in when the Lodge Freeway was built.
The Beautiful Merrill Humane Fountain
The Merrill Fountain is a stunning white marble fountain. It was designed by famous architects. It was built in 1904 and named after Charles Merrill. His daughter, Elizabeth Palmer, dedicated it.
The fountain first stood in downtown Detroit. But as more cars came to the city, it was moved to Palmer Park in 1926. After it was moved, the pipes broke, and it stopped working. For over 50 years, it was dry. Some parts were even stolen or broken by vandals.
The fountain is made of white marble in an Italian Renaissance style. It has a circular pool and another clover-shaped pool. There are carvings of cattails and water lilies. You can also see a marble turtle with two fish, all spouting water!
Visiting the Palmer Log Cabin
In 1885, Senator Thomas Witherell Palmer had a special summer house built for his wife, Lizzie Merrill Palmer. It was designed like a rustic log cabin. His wife wanted a quiet place away from the busy city. She dreamed of living simply, peacefully, and with lots of land. The cabin was finished in 1887 and is located near Lake Frances. It was first called “Font Hill Log House.”
The Palmers loved spending their summers at the log cabin. They often shared it with friends, family, and even important people from all over the country. A writer once said that meals at the Log Cabin were very relaxed. Dinner was announced with an old tin horn! When other Senators visited, Palmer would ask them to plant a tree. He would then hang a brass plaque with their name on it.
For a while, the Log Cabin was a big tourist attraction. People from all over the world came to see it. It stayed open until 1979. Then, the city gave its old items to the Detroit Historical Society for safekeeping. The cabin closed to the public because of a lack of city money.
However, on June 24, 2012, the group People for Palmer Park worked with the City of Detroit to open the cabin again. This was part of a fundraiser to fix its roof. On June 24, 2016, the City of Detroit announced a big project to restore the historic Log Cabin.
Playing at the Handball Courts
The handball courts were built in 1950. They were once very famous, hosting national championships from 1950 to 1972. But in the 1970s, like other parts of the park, they fell into disrepair. For a while, they were even used to store wood chips!
Between 2010 and 2017, People for Palmer Park (PFPP) knew how important these courts were. They looked for someone to help fix them. In 2018, the Michigan Handball Association (MHA) stepped up and raised money. Handball games started again in August 2018! The courts were officially reopened in September. Now, these groups are creating programs to teach new players, especially kids, how to play handball.
The Old Spanish Bell
Near the entrance to the Log Cabin, you can find a large bell. It used to hang in a rustic wooden frame. This bell was made in Spain in 1793 and traveled to Mexico over 200 years ago.
Friends of Senator Palmer, including William A. Moore and Senator James McMillan, raised money to buy this 1,015-pound bell as a gift for him. Senator Palmer then gave the bell to the city.
Splashing at Palmer Park Splash Park
The Palmer Park Splash Park is a fun place to cool off! It was the second splash park built in Detroit. It opened on August 18, 2013, thanks to a donation from Lear Corporation.
The park is located west of Woodward Avenue, between Six and Seven Mile Roads. This spot used to be a large community swimming pool. The splash park has colorful spouts that spray water from different directions. It even has motion sensors that turn the water on and off each day!
