Springfield Parks and Hogans Creek

Now identified as a network of parks, the majority of the green space, serving as the unofficial border between downtown and Springfield, was developed between 1899 and 1901. The property was land that was donated by the Springfield Company and was home to the city’s first zoo, which opened up in 1914.

In 1929, Hogans Creek was channelized to prevent flooding. The channelization project included the construction of automatic tide locks and a pumping plant, two reservoir lakes, 6,300 feet of bulkheads, six vehicular bridges, three ornamental foot bridges and 10,000 square yards of sidewalks, decorative balustrades, and light fixtures. Not maintained for decades, it may be the city’s greatest urban ruin.

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