Riverside Park: 1920-1948
One of the most memorable pieces of Riverside Park for young children is the cannon on the river bank. The original cannon was a 4.7 inch Howitzer that the War Department had deemed "not considered safe for firing". During World War II, this gun was donated to a scrap drive. After the war, the War Department offered a 37mm Japanese anti-aircraft gun, but a larger gun was desired and the Chief of Ordinance gave the city the option of a 75mm gun made in Japan. This gun was chosen despite the fact that the city had to pay for the shipping costs on the 4000 pound gun.
In 1932, the Neenah's Park Board saw the need for renovating in Riverside Park. As a result, Phelps Wyman was hired and charged with the task of formulating a new layout for Riverside Park. Phelps Wyman was a well known landscape architect in his time, and practiced his trade in cities including Minneapolis and Milwaukee, and he was even consulted by Washington D.C. for the planning of munition plants. Wyman created a plan for Riverside Park that never fully came to life. One part of the plan the city implemented was his idea for a large pavilion and walking trail closer to the river. Other pieces of the plan that were not fulfilled included tennis courts, horseshoe courts, and a separate amphitheater.
Phelps' blueprint for Riverside.
Drive at Riverside Park
Sources
"Phelps Wyman: Pioneer Landscape Architect and Minneapolis Park Commissioner." Minneapolis Park History. N.p., 23 May 2011. Web. 29 May 2014.
Dunwiddie, William E. "Riverside Park." The Parks of Neenah: An Historical Interpretation. S.l.: W.E. Dunwiddie, 1993. 3-6. Print.
The concept plan map by Phelps Wyman was provided by the Neenah Parks and Rec. Department
The photograph of the cannon and drive are from the Neenah Historical Society's Flickr page
Photograph of river walk from eBay
Dunwiddie, William E. "Riverside Park." The Parks of Neenah: An Historical Interpretation. S.l.: W.E. Dunwiddie, 1993. 3-6. Print.
The concept plan map by Phelps Wyman was provided by the Neenah Parks and Rec. Department
The photograph of the cannon and drive are from the Neenah Historical Society's Flickr page
Photograph of river walk from eBay