Washington Park
Full Article
Developed in the 1890s and early 1900s, Washington Park is a scenic recreational area occupying about 160 acres southeast of downtown Denver. Designed around a portion of City Ditch by landscape architects Reinhard Schuetze and Saco DeBoer, the park features two lakes and a large meadow and has a more rural, relaxed feel than Denver’s other major urban parks. Its historic structures include a 1911 bathhouse, a 1913 boathouse designed by Jules Jacques Benois Benedict, and the Eugene Field Cottage, which was moved to the park in 1930.
City Ditch and Smith Lake
What is now Washington Park took shape around an early Denver irrigation project. In 1865 the city hired John Smith to complete an irrigation ditch from the South Platte River to the area that is now Capitol Hill. Smith completed the twenty-four-mile project, called the Big Ditch or Smith’s Ditch, in 1867. This was the first major irrigation canal in Denver; the hundreds of lateral canals that branched off it enabled settlement and farming farther away from the city’s rivers.
In addition to building the ditch, Smith also created a lake at a spot where the ditch passed a natural depression on his land. He used the lake, which came to be known as Smith Lake, as a reservoir and a source of ice in winter. In 1875 the City of Denver paid $60,000 to buy Smith’s Ditch, which became known as City Ditch, and also started to lease Smith Lake, which it later purchased in the early 1900s.
Designs by Schuetze and DeBoer
People in the area saw Smith Lake as a natural spot for a park, but the idea took years to be realized. When South Denver was formed in 1886, it tried and failed to create a park at the lake. It acquired twenty acres from the Whitehead brothers’ farm south of the lake but made no more progress. Later in the 1890s, after Denver annexed South Denver, the city committed itself to the development of a park around Smith Lake. In 1894 an early city plan called for a park at the lake, and in 1897 there was an attempt to condemn land near the lake to get it for a park.
The park started to become a reality at the end of the 1890s. In 1899 it was named Washington Park in honor of the centennial of George Washington’s death. The city’s landscape architect, Reinhard Schuetze, drew up the plan for the park. John B. Lang was hired as its first superintendent, and serious landscaping work started over the next few years.
Schuetze’s basic plan for the park called for two lakes with a large central meadow between them. The park’s northern lake, Smith Lake, was already in place. Great Meadow, the largest meadow in the Denver parks system, was built from 1901 to 1907. The southern lake was added in 1906 and was named Grasmere Lake after a village and lake associated with the poet William Wordsworth in the English Lake District. A network of curving roads encircled the two lakes and the meadow, with a tree-lined perimeter separating the park from surrounding neighborhoods.
After Schuetze’s death in 1910, most additional plantings and landscape features in Washington Park were planned by his successor, Saco DeBoer. The main exception was Evergreen Hill at the park’s northern edge, which was designed in 1912 by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm but planted according to DeBoer’s specifications. DeBoer also added the neighboring Lily Pond in the park’s northeast corner. His best-known contributions, however, were two large formal gardens. The Perennial Garden, laid out on the park’s west side in the late 1910s, is the largest formal flower bed in the Denver parks and parkways system, and it still follows DeBoer’s original layout. Farther south, near Grasmere Lake, lies the Mount Vernon Garden, which he designed in 1926 based on the plan of the garden at George Washington’s estate in Virginia.
Key Features and Further Developments
Washington Park’s two main historic structures are the bathhouse just north of Smith Lake and the boathouse on the lake’s southern shore. The bathhouse, designed by Frederick Ameter and James B. Hyder, was built in 1911, the same year Smith Lake opened for swimming. The men’s dressing room was in the building’s west wing, and in 1912 the women’s dressing room opened in the newly added east wing. In the winter, the building served as a warming hut for ice skaters on the frozen lake. The Smith Lake swimming area was for whites only until the early 1930s, when a large group of Communists and blacks worked to desegregate it. The beach continued to be a popular attraction until 1957, when it was closed because of a polio scare and the high cost of chlorination.
Denver architect Jules Jacques Benois Benedict designed the Washington Park boathouse, which opened in 1913 across Smith Lake from the bathhouse. The building features an eclectic mix of Italianate, Prairie, and Arts and Crafts styles. Boats were stored in the main level, and the upper level served as an open pavilion with views of the mountains.
In the 1910s and 1920s the park added two memorials to the writer Eugene Field, who worked as a reporter and editor for the Denver Tribune in the early 1880s but is best known for his later humor writing and children’s poetry. In 1918 Mayor Robert Speer commissioned a statue based on Field’s poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.” Completed by Mabel Landrum Torrey the next year, the statue was originally located in a pool in the center of the park.
In 1927 Field’s former residence at 307 West Colfax Avenue became Denver’s first preservation project after it was slated for demolition. The National League of American Pen Women rallied to save the house. Margaret “Molly” Brown helped pay for it to be moved to the east side of Washington Park, where it operated as a branch of the Denver Public Library until 1970 and then as the headquarters of the Park People, a nonprofit dedicated to Denver’s parks and open spaces, until 2011. Torrey’s “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” statue is now located just north of the house.
Today
A few modern structures were added to Washington Park in the late twentieth century. In 1970 the Washington Park Recreation Center was built at the north end of the Great Meadow; it was renovated in 1992. In 1974 Denver Fire Department Station 21 was added to the park’s far northeastern corner, near the Lily Pond.
After being neglected in the 1960s and 1970s, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and began to be revived. In 1987 the park’s boathouse was restored by Anthony Pellecchia Associates and is now used for weddings and other events. In 1996 Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado paid for an extensive renovation of the bathhouse by Robert Root and Associates in exchange for a thirty-year lease to use the bathhouse as its headquarters. In 2000 the organization named the bathhouse in honor of its founder and longtime director, Dos Chappell.
Washington Park’s section of the City Ditch is now one of the only parts of the ditch that has not been enclosed in concrete, allowing people to see the city’s first irrigation canal in its original open condition. As a result of the early 2000s Transportation Expansion Project on Interstate 25, however, the flow of South Platte River water through City Ditch in Washington Park was halted. Today the water that flows through the park comes from a Denver Water recycling plant.
Washington Park continues to be a popular recreation spot for Denver residents, with walkers and runners flocking to the park’s three-mile perimeter loop.
10th Grade
Developed in the 1890s and early 1900s, Washington Park is a 160-acre recreational area just southeast of downtown Denver. Landscape architects Reinhard Schuetze and Saco DeBoer designed the park around a portion of City Ditch. The park has a rural, relaxed feel, with two lakes and a large meadow. Its historic structures include a 1911 bathhouse, a 1913 boathouse designed by Jules Jacques Benois Benedict, and the Eugene Field Cottage, which was moved to the park in 1930.
City Ditch and Smith Lake
Washington Park took shape around an early Denver irrigation project. In 1865 the city hired John Smith to build a ditch from the South Platte River to the area that is now Capitol Hill. Smith completed the twenty-four-mile project, called the Big Ditch or Smith’s Ditch, in 1867. This was the first major irrigation canal in Denver. Hundreds of lateral canals that branched off it enabled settlement and farming farther away from the city’s rivers.
Smith created a lake at a spot where the ditch passed a natural depression. He used the lake, which came to be known as Smith Lake, as a reservoir and a source of ice in winter. In 1875 the City of Denver paid $60,000 to buy Smith’s Ditch, which became known as City Ditch. The city also started to lease Smith Lake, which it purchased in the early 1900s.
Designs by Schuetze and DeBoer
Smith Lake was a natural spot for a park, but the idea took years to be realized. The park started to become a reality at the end of the 1890s. In 1899 it was named Washington Park in honor of the centennial of George Washington’s death. The city’s landscape architect, Reinhard Schuetze, drew up the plans. John B. Lang was hired as its first superintendent. Landscaping started over the next few years.
Schuetze’s basic plan for the park called for two lakes with a large central meadow between them. The park’s northern lake, Smith Lake, was already in place. Great Meadow, the largest meadow in the Denver parks system, was built from 1901 to 1907. The southern lake, named Grasmere Lake, was added in 1906. A network of curving roads encircled the two lakes and the meadow. A tree-lined perimeter separated the park from surrounding neighborhoods.
After Schuetze’s death in 1910, most plantings and landscape features were planned by his successor, Saco DeBoer. The main exception was Evergreen Hill at Washington Park’s northern edge. This was designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm in 1912 but planted according to DeBoer’s specifications. DeBoer also added the neighboring Lily Pond in the park’s northeast corner. His best-known contributions were two large formal gardens, the Perennial Garden and the Mt. Vernon Garden. The Perennial Garden, laid out on the park’s west side in the late 1910s, is the largest formal flower bed in the Denver parks system. It still follows DeBoer’s original layout. Farther south, near Grasmere Lake, lies the Mt. Vernon Garden. DeBoer designed this garden in 1926 based on a plan at George Washington’s Virginia estate.
Key Features and Further Developments
Washington Park’s two main historic structures are the bathhouse just north of Smith Lake and the boathouse on the lake’s southern shore. The bathhouse, designed by Frederick Ameter and James B. Hyder, was built in 1911. Smith Lake opened for swimming that same year. The men’s dressing room was in the west wing. In 1912 the women’s dressing room opened in the newly added east wing. In the winter, ice skaters used the building as a warming hut. The Smith Lake swimming area was for whites only until the early 1930s, when a group of Communists and blacks worked to desegregate it. The beach continued to be a popular attraction until 1957, when it was closed because of a polio scare and the high cost of chlorination.
Denver architect Jules Jacques Benois Benedict designed the Washington Park boathouse, which opened in 1913 across Smith Lake from the bathhouse. The building features an eclectic mix of Italianate, Prairie, and Arts and Crafts styles. Boats were stored in the main level. The upper level served as an open pavilion with views of the mountains.
In the 1910s and 1920s, the park added two memorials to the writer Eugene Field, who worked as a reporter and editor for the Denver Tribune in the early 1880s. Field was best known for his humor writing and children’s poetry. In 1918 Mayor Robert Speer commissioned a statue based on Field’s poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.” Completed by Mabel Landrum Torrey the next year, the statue was originally located in a pool in the center of the park.
In 1927, after it was slated for demolition, Field’s former residence at 307 West Colfax Avenue became Denver’s first preservation project. The National League of American Pen Women rallied to save the house. Margaret “Molly” Brown helped pay for it to be moved to the east side of Washington Park. It operated as a branch of the Denver Public Library until 1970 and then as the headquarters of the Park People, a nonprofit dedicated to Denver’s parks and open spaces, until 2011. Torrey’s “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” statue is now located just north of the house.
Today
A few modern structures were added to Washington Park in the late twentieth century. In 1970 the Washington Park Recreation Center was built at the north end of the Great Meadow; it was renovated in 1992. In 1974 Denver Fire Department Station 21 was added to the park’s far northeastern corner, near the Lily Pond.
After being neglected in the 1960s and 1970s, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and began to be revived. In 1987 the park’s boathouse was restored by Anthony Pellecchia Associates. It is now used for weddings and other events. In 1996 Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado paid for an extensive renovation of the bathhouse by Robert Root and Associates. In exchange, they received a thirty-year lease to use the bathhouse as their headquarters. In 2000 the organization named the bathhouse in honor of its founder and longtime director, Dos Chappell.
Washington Park’s section of the City Ditch is now one of the only parts of the ditch that has not been enclosed in concrete. This allows people to see the city’s first irrigation canal in its original, open condition. However, the Transportation Expansion Project on Interstate 25 in the early 2000s halted the flow of the South Platte River through City Ditch in Washington Park. Today the water that flows through the park comes from a Denver Water recycling plant.
Washington Park continues to be a popular recreation spot for Denver residents, with walkers and runners flocking to the park’s three-mile perimeter loop. The Great Meadow is a popular destination for weekend gatherings and intramural sports.
8th Grade
Developed in the 1890s and early 1900s, Washington Park covers about 160 acres just southeast of downtown Denver. Landscape architects Reinhard Schuetze and Saco DeBoer designed the park around a portion of the older City Ditch. The park features two lakes and a large meadow and has a rural, relaxed feel. Its historic structures include a 1911 bathhouse and a 1913 boathouse designed by Jules Jacques Benois Benedict. The Eugene Field Cottage was moved to the park in 1930.
City Ditch and Smith Lake
Washington Park took shape around an early Denver irrigation project. In 1865 the city hired John Smith to build a ditch. The twenty-four-mile project ran from the South Platte River to what is now Capitol Hill. Completed in 1867, the Big Ditch, also known as Smith’s Ditch, was the first major irrigation canal in Denver, with hundreds of lateral canals branching off it. These enabled settlements and farming farther from the city’s rivers.
Where the ditch passed a natural depression, Smith created a lake. He used the lake as a reservoir and a source of ice in winter. In 1875 Denver paid $60,000 for the ditch, and the city purchased Smith Lake in the early 1900s.
Designs by Schuetze and DeBoer
Smith Lake was a natural spot for a park. The park started to take shape at the end of the 1890s. In 1899 it was named Washington Park in honor of the centennial of George Washington’s death. The city’s landscape architect, Reinhard Schuetze, drew up the plans.
The design called for two lakes with a large central meadow between them. Smith Lake, in the north, was already in place. Great Meadow, the largest meadow in the Denver parks system, was built from 1901 to 1907. The southern lake, named Grasmere Lake, was added in 1906. Curving roads encircle the two lakes and the meadow.
After Schuetze’s death in 1910, most landscape features were planned by his successor, Saco De Boer. The main exception was Evergreen Hill at Washington Park’s northern edge. This was designed in 1912 by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm. DeBoer added a Lily Pond in the park’s northeast corner and two large formal gardens. The Perennial Garden follows DeBoer’s original layout. Farther south, near Grasmere Lake, lies the Mount Vernon Garden. DeBoer designed this garden in 1926 based on a plan at George Washington’s estate in Virginia.
Key Features and Further Developments
Washington Park’s two main historic structures are a bathhouse and a boathouse. Frederick Ameter and James B. Hyder designed the bathhouse. It was built just north of Smith Lake in 1911. The lake opened for swimming that year. In the winter, ice skaters used the building as a warming hut. Until the early 1930s, the Smith Lake swimming area was for whites only. A group of blacks and Communists successfully worked together to desegregate it. In 1957 a polio scare and the high cost of chlorination caused the beach to close.
Denver architect Jules Jacques Benois Benedict designed the boathouse. The 1913 building features a mix of Italianate, Prairie, and Arts and Crafts styles. Boats were stored in the main level. The upper level served as an open pavilion with views of the mountains.
In the 1910s and 1920s, the park added two memorials to the writer Eugene Field, who worked as a reporter and editor for the Denver Tribune in the early 1880s. In 1918 Mayor Robert Speer commissioned a statue based on Field’s poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.” The statue was completed the next year.
In 1927 Field’s former residence at 307 West Colfax Avenue was slated for demolition. It became Denver’s first preservation project. The National League of American Pen Women rallied to save the house. Margaret “Molly” Brown helped pay for it to be moved to the east side of Washington Park. It operated as a branch of the Denver Public Library until 1970. Then it became the headquarters of the non-profit group Park People. Torrey’s “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” statue is now located just north of the house.
Today
A few modern structures were added to Washington Park. In 1970 the Washington Park Recreation Center was built at the north end of the Great Meadow. In 1974 Denver Fire Department Station 21 was added to the park’s far northeastern corner.
After being neglected in the 1960s and 1970s, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. In 1987 the boathouse was restored. It is now used for weddings and other events. In 1996 Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado paid for an extensive renovation of the bathhouse by Robert Root and Associates. In exchange, they received a thirty-year lease to use the bathhouse as their headquarters.
Washington Park’s section of the City Ditch is now one of the only parts of the ditch that has not been enclosed. This allows people to see the city’s first irrigation canal in its original condition. Today the water that flows through the park comes from a Denver Water recycling plant.
Washington Park continues to be a popular recreation spot for Denver residents. Walkers and runners flock to the park’s three-mile perimeter loop, and the Great Meadow is popular for weekend barbecues, park district sports, and gatherings.
4th Grade
Washington Park is one of Denver’s recreational areas. It is located southeast of downtown and was developed in the 1890s and early 1900s. It covers about 160 acres. Reinhard Schuetze and Saco DeBoer designed it around the old City Ditch. The park has two lakes and a meadow. It has a 1911 bathhouse and a 1913 boathouse. Poet Eugene Field’s house was moved to the park in 1930.
City Ditch and Smith Lake
Washington Park was built around a water ditch. In 1865 the city hired John Smith to build a twenty-four-mile ditch called city ditch. It would provide water for farms and the young city. The ditch ran from the South Platte River to what is now Capitol Hill.
City Ditch was Denver’s first major water project. Hundreds of canals branched off it. These allowed settlements and farming. Where the ditch passed a low spot, Smith made a lake. In the winter, he sold ice. In 1875 the City of Denver paid $60,000 for the ditch. The city bought Smith Lake in the early 1900s.
Designs by Schuetze and DeBoer
Smith Lake was a natural spot for a park. In 1899 it was named Washington Park to mark the centennial of George Washington’s death. The city’s landscape architect was Reinhard Schuetze. He planned two lakes for the park, with a large meadow between them. Smith Lake, in the north, was already there. Great Meadow was built from 1901 to 1907. Grasmere Lake, in the south, was added in 1906.
Saco DeBoer took over when Schuetze died. DeBoer planned two gardens. The Perennial Garden still follows his layout. Farther south is the Mount Vernon Garden, named after George Washington’s home in Virginia. DeBoer based his plan on the gardens at Mount Vernon. He also added a Lily Pond in the park’s northeast corner.
Key Features and Further Developments
Washington Park has a historic bathhouse and boathouse. Frederick Ameter and James B. Hyder designed the bathhouse. It was built in 1911. In the winter, ice skaters used it as a warming hut. In the summer, Smith lake was open for swimming. Until the early 1930s, the Smith Lake swimming area was for whites only. A group of Blacks and Communists changed that. In 1957 a polio scared closed the lake for swimming. The boathouse was designed by Denver architect Jules Jacques Benois Benedict in 1913. Boats were stored in the main level. The upper level was open, with views of the mountains.
Eugene Field wrote for the Denver Tribune newspaper in the early 1880s. He is best known for his children’s poems. In 1918 Mayor Robert Speer wanted a statue to honor Field. Sculptor Mabel Landrum Torrey built it. She based it on the poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.” In 1927 Field’s house was going to be torn down. It had been at 307 West Colfax Avenue. It became Denver’s first preservation project. Margaret “Molly” Brown helped pay for it to be moved to Washington Park. The statue is now by the house.
Today
In 1970 the city built the Washington Park Recreation Center. It is near the meadow. In 1974 Denver Fire Department Station 21 was added on the park’s northeastern corner.
The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. In 1987 the boathouse was restored. It is now used for weddings and events. In 1996 Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado had the bathhouse restored. The group now has its headquarters there.
In Washington Park, people can see City Ditch. The park has one of the only parts of the ditch that has not been covered over. The city’s first irrigation canal looks like it did when it was built. Today the ditch water comes from a Denver Water recycling plant. Washington Park continues to be popular. Walkers and runners enjoy the park’s three-mile loop.
