Charles Balzer Continues To Improve Manito Park

Last week, we learned about the city building a house for the park’s superintendent right in the midst of the park itself, and the controversy surrounding that building.  This week, we will learn about more of the park’s attributes, concessions and attractions.

During Balzer’s early years as superintendent, rapid changes took place in Manito Park attracting visitors by the thousands.  People dressed in their Sunday attire, packed a picnic basket and gathered up the children to spend a day at the park.  Beautiful flower gardens and floral sculptures adorned the park, and a growing zoo captured the attention of the young and old alike.  B. J. Weeks and the Balzers each had a concession stand with the usual popcorn, ice cream and soda pop, candy, peanuts – and lots of cigars!  (After the park department took over the concessions in 1910, it spent an average of $50 a month, during the summer, on cigars that sold for a nickel each.)   Regular weekend band concerts and baseball games entertained the picnickers.  Money was tight, but Charles Balzer crafted swing sets and other playground equipment out of old power poles, which kept the children happy.  My 1913 men enjoyed lawn bowling on the new bowling green.  Tennis was so popular that in 1912 a second set of tennis courts were added to the park near the softball field (the first courts, at 17^th and Grand, were built in 1908).  When the sun set, there were open-air motion pictures projected onto a thin sheeting (to be seen from either side) and dancing at the pavilion, situated along the southern shore of Mirror Lake.  The lake cooled many swimmers on hot days.  On the 4^th of July, fireworks displays attracted even larger crowds.  In 1912 John Duncan reported to the park board, “A conservative estimate of the number of people there [on July 4^th] would be from 15,000 to 20,000….”  Even on a quiet day, Manito Park was a popular destination to get away from it all and enjoy nature’s beauty. 

Join us again next week for another chapter in this historical glimpse of our beloved Manito Park.

Manito Park Becomes the Choice Picnic Ground in Spokane

The first newspaper reference to activity at Manito Park, subsequent to the 1903 announcement that land was to be donated, was in the “Spokesman Review” on December 23, 1903:  “Mayor Boyd says the grove will be cleaned up, grass sowed and the dancing platform put in shape to make it an ideal picnic ground.”  For years prior to its first appearance in the Polk Directory in 1900, Montrose Park had been a popular destination for recreational outings.  As referenced earlier, newspaper accounts took place the first Spokane County fair in this area, as well as it being the destination of Francis Cook’s first motorized trolley trip to the Manito plateau.  By all indications, Montrose Park was much smaller than the new Manito Park, and primarily encompassed the area of the present picnic grounds at the 18^th street entrance and the duck pond.

Faced with the task of developing the large park, the city moved its greenhouses from Liberty Park to Manito in October of 1904.  They were situated just inside the main entrance of the park at 20^th Avenue about 300 feet west of Grand Boulevard.  Charles Balzer would be concentrating his time at Manito.  Spokane Park Board minutes, covering the early years of Manito Park, reflect regular correspondence from Fred Grinnell – the real estate broker representing the park donors, who held the majority of property for sale around the park – reminding the park board of their obligations. 

By the time the park board was formed, Balzer was in charge of all the city parks.  His experience as city florist – the lack of other qualified candidates – made him the natural choice for park superintendent.   With the growing demands at Manito Park a superintendent’s house was built in the park near the greenhouses (in the vicinity of the Washington Memorial).  This house was a source of some controversy.  In a letter to Mayor Floyd L. Daggett on February 28, 1906, Will Graves, on behalf of Spokane-Washington Improvement Co., referred to “…an unsightly barn of a house now being built in Manito Park… for the keeper of the greenhouse.”  He suggested it be removed and “an artistic house built in its place.”  Apparently this letter was not heeded; when John Duncan was hired as the next superintendent in 1910. He addressed a letter to the park board in which he said, “In looking over the house for the Superintendent I find it entirely inadequate for such a purpose.”  He was given a monthly housing allowance of $35 and moved into a home at 2504 S. Manito Boulevard, where he and his wife, Fanny, lived for the remainder of their lives.  In 1912 the old superintendent’s house was torn down and grass planted.

Please join us again next week when we learn more about the growth and increasing popularity of beautiful Manito Park.

Spokane Appoints its First Parks Superintendent

We have been reading from the book, “Manito Park:  A Reflection of Spokane’s Past” (by Tony Bamonte and Suzanne Schaeffer Bamonte) for several months now and learning about the founding of our beautiful Manito Park.  We have also been introduced to some interesting characters who played instrumental roles in the founding of Spokane.  This week, we are learning about the first park superintendent for the young city of Spokane.

The first Spokane park superintendent was E. Charles Balzer, a German-born immigrant, who was employed as the “city florist” when the city acquired Manito Park.  There is no official record of when he became superintendent, but shortly after tendering his resignation on December 23, 1909, he stated in a follow-up letter he had “been with the parks 9 years.”   Because park records were not kept until the park board was formed in 1907, information regarding the operation of the early park system is sketchy.  Much of Balzer’s correspondence from 1907 to 1909 can be found at the Eastern Regional Archives.  Most of it was written on official letterhead stationery inscribed with: “E.C. BALZER, Superintendent of City Parks, Residence:  Manito Park, Phone Main 4817.”  This same letterhead also lists the city parks:   Manito, 93 acres; Liberty, 23 acres; Corbin, 13 ½ acres; Coeur d’Alene, 10 acres; Audubon, 33 acres; and Stadacona, 1 ½ acres.

Next week, we will read about further development in Manito Park, and how then Mayor Boyd announced amenities of the park.  Tune back in at http://www.ManitoPark.org or http://www.blogspot.mantioparkorg.com for the next chapter.

Let's Meet Aubrey White This Week...

Last week, we were introduced to Aubrey White, who became known as the “Father of Spokane’s Park System”.  This week we will learn more about this interesting character.  The information posted here is quoted from the book, “Manito Park:  A Reflection of Spokane’s Past”.  You can learn more about this book at www.tornadocreekpublications.com.    Our story now continues:

In addition to his tireless park promotion campaign, Aubrey White was also active in numerous business ventures.  He was in partnership with Jay P. Graves in the Old Ironside and Grandby mining properties.  He was also involved in Graves’ railway lines (Spokane Traction Company, Coeur d’Alene Electric Railway, and Spokane & Inland Railway Company) and participated in the reorganization of the three companies into the Inland Empire Railway Company, of which Graves was the president and White vice-president.  White, Graves and several other investors (the Spokane-Washington Improvement Co.) , owned large tracts of land, including some land donated for Manito Park.  Although White had numerous conflicts of interest, his connections and influence were driving forces behind Spokane’s development.  White’s memory has been honored by the naming of Aubrey L. White Parkway in Riverside State Park, and the preservation of an area he loved along the Little Spokane River as a park.

Property Values Continue to Rise Around the Park

At the time Manito Park was donated to the city, the parks were governed by politics and park donors.  A special charter in 1891 had placed Spokane’s public parks under a joint supervision of the mayor, the city engineer and the city council president, subject to the authority of the city council.  In 1955, the Eastern Washington State Historical Society taped an interview of Laurence R. Hamblen and Joel E. Ferris, two civic-minded citizens with long-term service to the park commission, discussing the Spokane park system history, Mr. Hamblen, then-president of the Spokane Park Board and board member since 1912, explained Spokane’s early governing body as follows, “At that time, Spokane was governed by a council of ten members, two from each ward in the city.  The city, of course, was divided into five wards.  This meant that the full system was largely political because each ward wanted to acquire for its constituents more than the other wards.  The result was a political issue all of the time.”

As previously noted, many Spokane parks were donated by owners of nearby property who clearly understood the potential  benefit of having the city improve the park land.  A front page article in August 4, 1907 Spokesman Review stated, “Park Improvements Add Fifteen Times Their Cost to Adjacent Property -  Property adjacent to a developed boulevard is 100 percent more valuable than it would have been in the same district without the park or boulevard improvements having been made.  This is the unanimous opinion of real estate men, who are in one accord in boosting for a better park and boulevard system for Spokane.” 

In an attempt to remove the parks from the political arena and protect against exploitation by park donors, a 1907 charter amendment created a separate nonpartisan park board commission of ten unpaid members, with the mayor serving as an ex officio member.  Another amendment in 1910 eliminated the mayor’s position and provided for a city council representative to act as a liaison between the city and the park board.

Correspondence and park board minutes filed in the Eastern Regional State Archives housed at Eastern Washington University and the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department archives provide insight into the formation of the Spokane Park Department.  The founding of the park board was largely through the efforts and assistance of Aubrey Lee White and the Spokane Chamber of Commerce, of which White was director.  Although Spokane was surrounded by open country and had little need to preserve land for parks, with the city’s rapid growth and expansion, White had the foresight to push for preservation of open space while it was still available and affordable.   He organized and served as President of the City Beautiful Club, whose purpose was to promote the establishment of a city park and playground system that would put or recreation area within walking distance of every neighborhood.  When the initial park board was formed, it was comprised of businessmen, who were also friends, with common interests.  Aubrey White was chosen to be the first president of the board, serving from 1907 to 1922.  His determination  to secure a visible park system for Spokane took tangible form soon after the park board was formed.  Grading, seeding and planting of Manito Boulevard began, and within three years, a $1,000,000 park bond was passed to expand and improve the park system.  Because park funds were limited, White persuaded private citizens to plant many of the leafy deciduous trees that beautify Spokane’s streets today.  White’s foresight and tireless campaign to secure public park lands earned him the reputation as “Father of Spokane’s Park System.”

 

Next week, we will learn more about this interesting character Aubrey White and how his vision and foresight helped shape Spokane’s landscape.

A Famous Landscape Design Firm is Consulted on the Design…

In our continuing study of Spokane’s early days and the birth of Manito Park, last week we read some old newspaper articles about the sales of residence building sites being advertised around the new “Montrose” (Manito) Park.  Today, we see a few more details about the design and layout of the beautiful park itself.  The source was the newspaper of the day, The Spokane Falls Review.  Read along and get caught up in this interesting story.

All of the information reported here comes from a book by Tony Bamonte and Suzanne Schaeffer Bamonte entitled, “Manito Park:  A Reflection of Spokane’s Past”.  You can learn more about this book at www.tornadocreekpublications.com.  Please click over to www.ManitoPark.Org or www.ManitoParkOrg.blogspot.com to catch up on the latest chapter.

The following is an excerpt from an article appearing in the same paper [Spokane Falls Review] describing the coming of the Spokane & Montrose Railroad to Cook’s development and the beauty of the area:

Our citizens will rejoice when they can be carried quickly and cheaply to the shady groves and sparkling fountains of Montrose Park.  No one will be credited with having seen Spokane hereafter unless he has ridden over its heights on the Spokane & Montrose railroad… This will be the route for all local picnics and family excursions.  The elevated property south of the business portion of the city will now come to the front as the healthiest and most fashionable residence section.

Another description of the Montrose area was in a report to the City of Spokane by the Olmsted Brothers, a nationally renowned landscape architectural firm from Brookline, Massachusetts, which designed parks and private gardens in many major cities.  The father, who had founded the firm, was one of the designers of Central Park in New York City.  On July 10, 1907, at a cost of $1,000 plus expenses, the park board hired the Olmstead firm to prepare a preliminary recommendation for Spokane’s existing parks and to assist in the development of an overall park and boulevard system.  Following an inspection of Manito Park, they stated:

“The city is fortunate in possessing already a local park so large, so well situated, and accessible as this is… The picturesque, weather-beaten ledges, especially interesting to city people used to tidy, clipped lawns and grass plots, appear to be in process of being covered over with a thin layer of earth followed by grass… There is much rough, ledgy ground in this park.  Doubtless that had something to do with its selection for a park.  The land, that is to say, looked discouraging for low-priced suburban lots.  In some degree it is discouraging and costly to fit it for use as a public park, yet it is worth more for a park than fifty foot lots… The prominent ledges are decidedly valuable as picturesque landscape features.  They should be carefully preserved and taken advantage of in designing all kinds of improvements.”

The Olmstead report detailed their impression of the infant park in 1907.  The nearly two-page narrative on Manito recommended future improvements.  A third of the report was devoted to the zoo, primarily recommended for its removal.  (It was removed during the Depression, but purely for economic reasons.)  Manito Park did not develop from a master plan, but has been a constantly evolving, changing environment, shaped primarily by the inspiration or vision of various park superintendents or directors.  There is a popular mistaken notion, largely perpetuated by a park department brochure published some years ago, that Manito Park was an Olmsted Brothers’ design.  Although the content of the Olmsted report confirms an existing layout, some of their recommendations were eventually followed: park roads were widened, paved and grades reduced; an open area was graded for a level playing field; and continuous grassy areas were planted.  Few specific landscape suggestions were offered, except to add another 31 acres to remove irregular boundaries, which they felt were not conducive to pleasing park design.  That suggestion never materialized.

Montrose Park is sold lot by lot – here are some of the ads….

Montrose Park is sold lot by lot – here are some of the ads….

At the time of Francis Cook’s acquisition in 1884 of what is now called Manito Park, a natural beauty permeated that entire area.  The region in its early days of Spokane’s settlement has been described in many ways, some of which were not flattering, referring to it as “undeveloped tangle” or a “wooded tangle of underbrush and basaltic rockpiles as big as houses.”  However, the beauty of nature was clearly evident to Cook as he initiated the beginnings of the park and advertised the first and most complete description of it in the Spokane Falls Review on April 21, 1888.

MONTROSE PARK!

An elevated plateau adjoining the city; affording the finest residence sites.  It has broad avenues, shade trees, abundance of water and is traversed by the motor line.

It commands fine views and lies within five minutes ride of the heart of the city.

THIS SITE IS BEAUTIFUL; HEALTHY AND ATTRACTIVE!

The property in this suburban park is offered to purchasers at low figures and on easy terms; Apply to NORTHWESTERN LAND COMPANY,

Spokane National Bank Building, for particulars.

MONTROSE PARK

Among the many new additions adjoining the City of Spokane Falls, none have so fully met with all the requirements of a first-class residence site as Montrose Park; which will be placed on the market on

MONDAY, APRIL 23

It lies south of the city, and comprises a portion of the beautiful plateau overlooking the Valley of the Spokane.  This plateau as it is now appears presents to the appreciative eye a SYLVIAN [sic] PARADISE

The open woody stretches of gently undulating ground, afford elegant residence sites, and will be occupied ere long with many bright and happy homes.  Besides the natural attractions that offer there are wide avenues of one hundred and twenty feet.  This will give twenty feet for promenades on each side with an eighty foot driveway.  Plenty of water can be had upon this upper level at from twenty to forty feet in depth.  In some portions of this addition fine springs abound.  To further and to the desirability of Montrose Park, there will be three fine parks laid out with fine drives and walks and some will contain miniature lakes and fountains.  Whenever one finds wild roses the soil where they grow is sure to be rich and strong.  Scattered about on the gentle slopes and the pretty open plazas wild roses bloom in great profusion – hence the name –

“MOUNTAIN OF ROSES!”

The new addition comprises six hundred acres and lies only twelve blocks from Riverside avenue.  The new motor line traverses the new addition on three broad avenues, and thus the remotest portions of Montrose will be within five minutes ride of the heart of the city.  That which also adds to the desirability of Montrose Park for residence sites is the healthfulness of location.  The mean elevation above the business portion of the city is 350 feet.  This places it above the fog line and where one gets benefit of the southern breezes and the sun.  At many points it commands fine views.  The streets are easy to construct and will be comparatively inexpensive.  Purchasers will receive a satisfaction guarantee for the completion of the motor line through the property, and which guarantee will form a part of the Contract of Purchase.  Call and see plat and get particulars.