PARK AND C EM ETER Y. 
155 
beauty of Horlick Park was impaired 
by the presence of the playground ap- 
paratus and the constant play kept 
the lawns in a dilapidated condition. 
The necessity of acquiring a larger 
tract of land became apparent. Con- 
sequently an option was secured on 
ten acres lying between the river and 
the western boundry of Horlick Park 
at a purchase price of $5,000.00. The 
day before the option expired the 
matter was brought to the attention 
of William Mitchell Lewis, who pur- 
chased this piece of property and do- 
nated it to the city for a playground. 
Subsequently Mr. Lewis donated $5,- 
000.00 toward improving it. In honor 
of this public service and gift this 
playground was dedicated as Lewis 
Field. A more ideal spot for a play- 
ground could not be found. 
PHOTO BY SIO J. HARE 
CENTRAL, PARK, RACINE, WIS. 
Year after year new additions have 
been added, so that now the park de- 
velopment on the Root River has 
taken definite form, and in natural 
beauty and picturesqueness it sur- 
passes the average city park. 
The Root River valley, with its 
natural attractiveness, is especially 
adapted for park purposes. 
The last addition, that of Wash- 
ington Park, has added the most val- 
uable tract to this group. To com- 
plete the Root River park develop- 
ment Mr. Jensen recommends that 
the lowlands at the turn of the river 
opposite Riverside Park should be 
acquired. This meadow would add 
an ideal ball field to the board’s pres- 
ent holdings. It would preserve the 
river bluffs as a beautiful setting in 
the future city complex. 
It is also suggested that wherever 
possible the park board should ob- 
ROAT RIVER, RIVERSIDE PARK, RACINE. 
tain control of the river banks, and 
preserve the beauty of these banks 
from the encroachment of buildings. 
The streets should follow the river 
with enough park-way between the 
river and the streets to permit the 
necessary bank planting and a path 
with resting places. This suggestion 
also includes bluffs that are unfit for 
building purposes. 
A great deal of work has been done 
in Horlick Park from year to year. 
During the summer of 1910 about 
three acres of lawn on the north end 
of the park were brought up to grade, 
necessitating an average fill of eigh- 
teen inches. The river bed at this 
point was widened some twenty feet 
for a distance of four hundred feet. 
About nine hundred feet of macadam 
walk, six feet wide was constructed. 
A water system was laid in the lawn 
on the north end of the park and a 
sanitary drinking fountain installed at 
the entrance of the park near Liberty 
Street, and another near the south 
entrance. 
The new refectory building was 
started in the summer of 1910 and 
completed in the spring of 1911. The 
refectory is located on the east bank 
of the lagoon facing the large lawn. 
At the rear the refectory is provided 
with a spacious balcony. 
Lewis Field playground has been 
very popular the last season. The 
playground was open from the first 
of May until the fifteenth of Novem- 
ber, and here competent playground 
instructors were in charge of the play 
activities. 
A. A. Fisk is Superintendent of 
Parks and C. A. Armstrong Secretary 
of the Board. 
IN THE RAVINES, 
WASHINGTON PARK, RACINE, WIS. 
