Woodland Park 100th Birthday
Celebrate Woodland Park’s 100th anniversary 10/17/14
Woodland Park 100th Anniversary
The Original Highland Park became Woodland Park in 1914
Norhill Bungalow Tour Sign
Come out the evening of 10/17/14 to celebrate Woodland Park’s anniversary. Friends of Woodland Heights is hosting the event:
“For 100 years, Woodland Park has provided Houstonians a haven of natural beauty. Help us preserve this precious resource for coming generations by joining in the celebration. Our wish list includes: park benches, playground equipment, trail signage, foot bridges, game tables and much more. There will be live music, a silent auction, bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres.”
See Woodland Park Map.
History of Park: For 100 years, Woodland Park has provided Houstonians a haven of natural beauty. Help us preserve this precious resource for coming generations by joining in the celebration. Our wish list includes: park benches, playground equipment, trail signage, foot bridges, game tables and much more. There will be live music, a silent auction, bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
The park is actually over a 100 years old. The City purchased the old Highland Park in 1911. Highland Park was originally built in 1903 by the Houston Electric Company on 30 acres of land from the Beauchamp Springs tract.
A streetcar line led to it from nearby downtown. A dam was built on Little White Oak Bayou to form a lake big enough to paddle in. A restaurant and dance pavilion that accommodated 1000 people finished it off. The attached photo is from a 1908 postcard.
The park grew after being purchased by the City, it even had a zoo. It was re-named Woodland Park in 1914 (thus its 100th anniversary) after residents of neighboring Woodland Heights petitioned for the name change.
Friends of Woodland Park now champions its re-birth.
On a related note:
As long as you are in the neighborhood, don’t forget about the Norhill Bungalow Tour on Oct 18th
