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HSP HISTORY Blog

Interesting Frederick, Maryland tidbits and musings .

Frederick City's Other Parks

4/16/2016

5 Comments

 
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Schley Park off Rockwell Terrace
Last week’s blog centered on the Culler Lake renovations, and how the water feature within Baker Park came into being.  This week, I want to review some earlier Frederick parks, with emphasis on those located in the western and northwestern reaches of Frederick City. I also want to call out a “predecessor” and inspiration for Culler Lake, just a few short blocks to the north.

Schley Park
This oft overlooked gem was established in 1913 as part of the College Park residential development, originally built by the Swastika Realty Company. The area encompassed rolling farmland west of Rockwell Terrace, south of the newly opened Hood College.  The small oasis featured a contest to pick its final name.  One of two choices included Scott Key Park, of course named for Frederick’s favorite son, Francis Scott Key (he of Star-Spangled Banner fame). The other choice was Schley Park, a nod to another Frederick native Winfield Scott Schley, naval hero of the Battle of Santiago in the Spanish American War which had occurred in 1898. I’m guessing at the time, it was safe to say that the park would not get off “Scott” free (as in Scot free).  The latter choice won at the ballot box, and it’s been Schley Park for more than a century. After a positive start, the park apparently became neglected. it would enjoy a Renaissance in 1920.
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Frederick News (Nov. 22, 1920)
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Winfield Scott Schley, the "Hero of Santiago" (1839-1911)
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PictureGeorge E. Burnap (ca. 1914)
The park, and surrounding layout for housing development and street design was created by a renowned landscape architect George Elberton Burnap (1885-1938). The Cultural Landscape Foundation offers the following biography on Mr. Burnap:

Born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Burnap studied architecture and landscape architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cornell, and, later, at the University of Paris. He served as landscape architect for the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds in Washington, D.C. and was involved in the design and redesign of many of the District’s most celebrated public spaces, including the Tidal Basin, with its flowering cherry trees, and both Montrose and Meridian Hill Parks. He also designed parks and park systems in Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina. A lecturer on civic design at MIT, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Illinois, Burnap authored Parks: Their Design, Equipment, and Use in 1916.

Burnap likely took the Frederick job in an effort to spend additional time with his sister Grace, who was working at Hood College at the time in the music department.


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Southeast corner of Court Park (Courthouse Square). The aptly named Park Hotel once sat on what is today a parking lot for the downtown M&T Bank branch.
Court Park
This important swath of land has been an important meeting ground for over 270 years, dating back to the county’s founding in 1748.  As the courthouse lawn, it once was surrounded by an iron fence, that is said to have helped corral pigs and other livestock.  The citizenry begged for its removal in the around the turn of the 20th century, allowing for the public to enjoy the grounds more fully. Court Park has become is today more commonly as Court House Square (or Court Square).  In 1919, much discussion revolved around the removal of the decorative iron fountain located in front of the Courthouse front steps. This was a gift from resident James C. Clarke, a longtime railroad executive and namesake of Clarke Place on the city’s south side. Some wanted the iron fountain moved so a World War I monument/memorial could be put in its place.  A change of mind came about, and so did a parcel of property two blocks away on the northeast corner of 2nd and Bentz streets. This would become the home for the war monument entitled “Victory.” The space would earn the name Memorial Park.

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Carroll Park
This was the original, “old school” portion of the Carroll Creek Linear Park. In 1907, Frederick alderman, and successful downtown merchant, David Lowenstein suggested putting a monument in the vicinity of where the Barbara Fritchie house had once stood. The legendary home had been partially destroyed in the Great Flood of 1868, and subsequently removed completely a short time later in an effort to widen the creek. Alderman Lowenstein went one step further by suggesting that a park be built on the west side of Carroll Creek surrounding Riehl’s Spring.  This would become known as Carroll Park, a frequent scene of band concerts, camp meetings and unruly teenagers.


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Tourist Park
Another park of note was located a few blocks west on West Patrick Street.  This was the Tourists Park, an auto camp project of the Maryland State Roads Commission, and one of eight located on the National Road. Others existed in Elkridge, Cooksville, Conococheague, Hancock, Bellgrove, Frostburg  and Negro Mountain. Supplied with all the conveniences a traveler may need, these places were practically small economy cabins in the same vein as the recently departed “Camp Cozy” in Thurmont.  They were the forerunners of campgrounds (ala Jellystone Park) before the era of tow-able trailers and campers. Frederick’s tourist camp officially opened around 1922. This lasted for over a decade and would eventually become known by took the name of the Barbara Fritchie Motel and Tourist Cabins. John “Dutch” Faust from Pittsburgh operated this business for several years. Today this area is the home of the Way Station.

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Inset picture of 1840's Frederick Reservoir on the View of Frederick lithograph by E. Sachse & Co. (1854)
PictureReservoir (off W. 7th Street) as pictured in the 1873 Titus Atlas
Reservoir Park
An impressive municipal structure was completed in 1845—the City of Frederick’s reservoir works and grounds.  Construction began in 1844 and the $90,000 project served as a better means to handle the growing town’s water needs. This municipal godsend replaced the former system of water connection stretching out to Catoctin Mountain, northwest of the city in the vicinity of Yellow Springs where wooden pipes carried water from an artesian well to a reservoir. The “new reservoir” was located at a place that would one day become the north end of Culler Avenue, just below West 7th street. The town “water-works” would be rebuilt in 1895 in the same location, but with a new capacity of 8 million gallons. An ornamental statue (of a woman with upraised cup in hand), was a hallmark at the reservoir.  With the 1890’s renovation, the statue was converted into a showering fountain.


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Frederick Reservoir and Water-Works enlargement (ca 1895)
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When the 7th Street reservoir was rendered unnecessary due to advanced technology in municipal water supply, it became a recreational park. Today, you can still see remains of the reservoir’s retaining walls while visiting Max Kehne Park on West 7th Street.  East Frederick Little League has their baseball field within the footprint of the old water source.
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East Frederick Little League Field at Max Kehne Park
PicturePitching ace Max Kehne (ca.1947)
Fittingly, this park’s namesake, Max Kehne, was a standout ballplayer himself.
His play as a youth gained him great accolades, and this would continue into adulthood.  He was known best for his softball pitching.  He was involved in leadership roles in a number of local activities including  President of the Maryland Baseball Association and President of the Frederick Touchdown Club.  After many years, Max Kehne entered politics and won election as a Frederick City Alderman in 1969.
Sadly, Max Kehne died at age 45, the victim of a drunk driver on April 19th 1973, as he was traveling back to Frederick on I-70. Max Kehne Memorial Park was dedicated to this special man and athlete on May 22nd, 1977, four years after his death. His namesake park is adorned with a softball diamond as well.

5 Comments
richard schlecht
4/14/2016 08:39:04 am

Nice piece, Chris...thanks!

Reply
Pepper Scotto
4/14/2016 02:28:57 pm

Chris, this walk through the parks has been so delightful today. You always know how to educate us while we think we are just having a good time. Thank you

Reply
Harriet Wise
4/15/2016 03:48:41 am

Great project...and one of my favorite parks..I did not know it's history and have you to thank for enlightening me....Thanks.

Reply
Unsensitive Feelings link
8/24/2023 02:02:55 am

Great share

Reply
Ginnie Sulcer
11/20/2024 02:43:58 am

Hello Mr. Hough,
I live next to Max Kehne Memorial Park. Hood College Im proposing a NCAA baseball field in the place of the softball field. I am very upset because the history of Max Kehne and why the softball field exist is because of his dedication and Because of his dedication and accomplishments. We have a City Meeting in December with the Alderman, which I believe they’ve changed their name to Council. I would like to speak at this one because of the park being a memorial park in honor of Max Kehne. The neighbors are focusing on how a NCAA ballfield would be a hindrance to our neighborhood. And it would be in so many ways. Would you mind sitting with me and helping me write a statement or a letter that I can present at the meeting or send to Mayor and Alderman.? I am a lifelong citizen, raised on Culler Ave and was fortunate to purchase a home two doors from where I was raised. It’s saddens me that Max Kehne’s history And memorial would be taken away And the focus would be on Hood College Blazers. They are trying to work out some type of a deal with the city for this proposal to go through. My parents owned the restaurant on Rosemont Avenue from 1957. I was three years old, to 1978. It was called The Suburban Which is Callahan’s today. At that time it was the suburbs of town. If hood college would take over the softball field which is enjoyed by the residence of Frederick, it would become a private field for just Hood college. This brings tears to my eyes as I’m writing this. I would like his Memory in history as to why the softball field is there to remain. The area is too small for an NCAA ballfield to begin with. It’s still upsets me to this day that Harry Grove Stadium is no longer recognized as Harry Grove Stadium which was in honor of him finding the professional baseball team, The Hustlers. Other than just begging the City To not take the softball field and turn it into an NCAA baseball field for Hood college, I wish they would focus on the history and the purpose. I’m sorry to have made this correspondence so long. I would greatly appreciate to be able to sit with you or have A phone conversation or text to help guide me with this issue. I can be reached at 240-397-3057. Thank you so much for your kindness and consideration. Ginnie.Sulcer, 608 Culler Ave., Frederick MD. P.S. Please pardon the grammar and punctuation as I am speaking through a microphone.

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    (History Shark Productions-research/writing/guide & documentation services)

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  • Home
  • About
    • "What's in a Name?"
    • Slideshow
  • History Course Offerings
    • "Frederick History 101" Course >
      • 200 Level Courses
      • Nightime Walking Tours and More Frederick History Courses
      • Black (African American) History Courses
    • Gift Certificates
  • Presentation
    • Cemetery History and "Stories in Stone"
    • Presentation Rate Card
  • Organizational Storytelling
    • Interpretive Media Rate Card
    • Frederick County Association of Realtors History
    • History of United Way of Frederick County
  • Family Legacy
    • "My Father, My Hero"
    • "Connecting the Dots"
    • Pricing >
      • Collaborative Research Call/Visit
      • Interview Project Schedule & Cost
  • Blog-HSP History
  • Miscellaneous
    • Past Projects
    • Awards and Honors
    • Press Clippings/Links
  • Rate Card
  • Contact
  • 2025 HSP Tour/Class Dates