St. Joseph Park and Parkway System - Missouri Department of ...
St. Joseph Park and Parkway System - Missouri Department of ...
St. Joseph Park and Parkway System - Missouri Department of ...
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NPSForm10-900-a<br />
(8-86)<br />
OMB Approval No. 1024-0018<br />
United <strong>St</strong>ates <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Interior<br />
National <strong>Park</strong> Service<br />
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES<br />
CONTINUATION SHEET<br />
Sf <strong>Joseph</strong>Tark <strong>and</strong> <strong>Park</strong>way <strong>System</strong>, Buchanan County, <strong>Missouri</strong><br />
SUMMARY<br />
The <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Joseph</strong> <strong>Park</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Park</strong>way <strong>System</strong> is significant under Criterion A hi the area <strong>of</strong><br />
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, <strong>and</strong> Criterion C in the area <strong>of</strong><br />
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. In addition, some contributing resources are significant<br />
under Criterion C in the areas <strong>of</strong> ARCHITECTURE or ENGINEERING. The district is an<br />
excellent representative <strong>of</strong> how city-wide park systems affected the physical development <strong>of</strong><br />
cities. In <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Joseph</strong>, as in many communities, the planning <strong>of</strong> the park system represented the<br />
first true planning efforts <strong>of</strong> the city. Any "l<strong>and</strong> planning" prior to this date occurred on a private<br />
basis within small-scale plats or additions. The park system is the first effort <strong>of</strong> the City <strong>of</strong> <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Joseph</strong> to plan its development on a large, city-wide scale. Although the initial objective <strong>of</strong> the<br />
park system was the aesthetic improvement <strong>of</strong> the city, it [the system] eventually affected the<br />
entire development <strong>of</strong> the eastern side <strong>of</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Joseph</strong>. The historic district is also significant as an<br />
example <strong>of</strong> early twentieth century park <strong>and</strong> parkway design. The seven examples <strong>of</strong> the "park"<br />
property type (as defined hi the MPS "Historic Resources <strong>of</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Joseph</strong> ") differ in their design<br />
treatment, varying from formal elements evocative <strong>of</strong> Italian garden villa design, to influences <strong>of</strong><br />
the American Romantic as well as the City Beautiful movement, to simple, functional outdoor<br />
recreational areas. The parkways are the result <strong>of</strong> the dissemination <strong>of</strong> the large scale, twentieth<br />
century "parkway" movement hi the United <strong>St</strong>ates, as adapted to a smaller urban context. The<br />
historic district is also a rare instance <strong>of</strong> a planned park system that was completely implemented<br />
basically as it was designed. Most other cities hi the early twentieth century were only able to<br />
execute a portion <strong>of</strong> the city-wide plans. The <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Joseph</strong> <strong>Park</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Park</strong>way system is also<br />
noteworthy as the work <strong>of</strong> master l<strong>and</strong>scape architect George Burnap. Other significant<br />
l<strong>and</strong>scape architects <strong>and</strong> city planners are associated with the system George E. Kessler <strong>and</strong><br />
Charles Mulford Robinson. Finally, the entire connected park <strong>and</strong> parkway system historic<br />
district is the single most significant representative <strong>of</strong> the defined historic context "The Jewels <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Joseph</strong>: The <strong>Park</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Park</strong>way <strong>System</strong>, 1910-1943" (see amendment #2 to MPS "Historic<br />
Resources <strong>of</strong> <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Joseph</strong> "). It is one <strong>of</strong> the most intact historic designed park systems in the state<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Missouri</strong>, <strong>and</strong> has long been recognized nationally as well. The period <strong>of</strong> significance begins<br />
with initial construction on the first element <strong>of</strong> the park system Noyes Boulevard. Although<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the parks in the historic district, such as Krug <strong>and</strong> Bartlett, were actually owned by the<br />
city prior to this date, they would eventually undergo drastic redesigns in conjunction with the<br />
development <strong>of</strong> the entire system. Their present day appearances reflect these alterations, which<br />
occurred after 1912. The arbitrary fifty-year rule is used for the end <strong>of</strong> the period <strong>of</strong> significance,<br />
although this coincides approximately with the ending <strong>of</strong> P.W.A. funded work. The last major<br />
period <strong>of</strong> construction on the park system did not occur within the historic period <strong>of</strong> significance.<br />
It was funded by the Bode Trust, <strong>and</strong> occurred in the 1970's.