http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/park-board-celebrates-100th-birthday-saturday_60320.mp3
The party Saturday (5/18) from noon to 4 at Phelps Grove Park will take visitors back in time. There will be carnival games reminiscent of the early 1900s as well as lawn games like croquet and horseshoes. And, Jenny Fillmer-Edwards, Park Board spokesperson, says you’ll be able to purchase food at 1913 prices…
"We are selling hamburgers for ten cents and hot dogs for five cents, so please bring a pocketful of change if you want to eat at this event. Don't make us break a twenty," she said.
The New Creole Jazz Band will play in the pavilion. A program at 1:30 will feature speakers John Sellars, with the History Museum for Springfield-Greene County and Dan Kinney, former longtime director of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.
And a time capsule will be buried for 100 years…
"The time capsule's going to have some books and magazines and publications sort of showcasing what life is like in 2013, and it's strange to think about how will 2013 be reflected 100 years from now? But we do have a Time Year End annual from Time Books, and we also have an almanac, which is going in. We have some local history books going in. We will have the newspaper from that day, and then we have a lot of items that are just typical of the Park Board," she said.
Those include things like softballs, tennis balls and hockey pucks. And anyone who attends Saturday’s events will be able to sign a registry, which will also be placed in the time capsule.
When the Park Board started 100 years ago, there were only two public parks in Springfield: Washington and Lafayette. Today, the Springfield-Greene County Parks System consists of 102 park sites.
Again, Saturday’s 100thBirthday Bash is from noon to 4 at Phelps Grove Park. Admission is free.
For KSMU News, I’m Michele Skalicky.