| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
This park contains three elements: Leonard Park, established between 1883 and 1894; Lake Leota, established in 1847 and purchased and restored by the City of Evansville in 1923, and Leota Park, established in 1923.
Additional records associated with this property: Lake Leota Dam (AHI 74758), Leota Park Bell Tower (AHI 140860), Henneberry Shelter House (AHI 140861), Leota Park Bath House (AHI 140943), Leonard-Leota Park Skater's Warming House and Bandstand (AHI 140944), Leota Park Store Building (AHI 140945), Leota Park Antes Drive Bridge (AHI 171381), Allen's Creek Straightening and Rip-Rapping (AHI 171441), Lake Leota Dam Stepped Falls (AHI 171461), Leota Park Horseshoe Lagoon (East) (AHI 171501), Leota Park North Baseball Diamond Bathroom Building (AHI 171761), Leota Park Horseshoe Lagoon (West) (AHI 171481), Allen's Creek Foot Bridge (AHI 171801).
"Leonard-Leota Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012 as a designed landscape. The park actually consists of two distinct portions, which became park land at different dates.
Leonard Park, also known as the Upper Park, was sold to the Village of Evansville in 1883 by pioneer settler Levi Leonard. This eight-acre parcel is circled by Leonard Park Drive and overlooks Lake Leota. Leonard Park contains a stone masonry bathroom structure built in 1912 and a shelter built of materials provided by local manufacturer Varco-Pruden in 1959. A rustic stone masonry fireplace was constructed during the period 1937-1940 as part of the improvements made to the combined parks during the Great Depression.
Leota Park, also known as the Lower Park, occupies approximately 51 acres. It was purchased by the City of Evansville in 1923. A dam was first constructed in the location of the present dam in 1847 to provide water power for a mill located in what is now downtown Evansville. Evidence of the mill race may still be seen just to the south of the Henneberry Shelter (121 Antes Drive). When the first dam was removed, the land behind it reverted to a meandering stream and wetland.
A new dam was constructed in 1923, and a bath house (321 Burr W. Jones Circle) (now the Boy Scout house) was built between 1924 and 1925. Most of the improvements in Leota Park took place during the Great Depression is a series of work-relief projects undertaken between 1933 and 1940. These include the warming house-bandstand building (259 Leonard Park Drive), the Park Store (340 Burr W. Jones Circle), the stepped falls below the dam, the stone creek and lagoon walls, the Henneberry Shelter (121 Antes Drive), the bell tower containing Evansville's first school bell (120 Antes Drive), the tennis courts and shuffleboard courts, the duck houses, fireplaces, and masonry picnic tables and chairs. The rustic stone masonry of these improvements is typical of construction projects undertaken during the Depression in many national and state parks.
The flag pole near the bath house was donated by the Woman's Relief Corps, an auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic, as a Civil War memorial in 1938. The flag pole was reconditioned and rededicated on its 75th anniversary in 2013, with the national president of the Woman's Relief Corps have the honor of raising the colors.
With the exception of the Veterans Memorial Pool and Aquatic Center (built in 1958) and nearby park maintenance buildings, Leota Park appears as it did in 1940." Evansville Historic Preservation Commission, Historic Evansville Walking Tour brochure, 2014. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Williams, B. Keith. Evansville City Parks: 1883-1986. Evansville, WI: Star Printing CO., 1987.
Heggland, Timothy F. Leonard-Leota Park Historic District National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. January 17, 2011.
Evansville Historic Preservation Commission, Historic Evansville Walking Tour brochure, 2014. |
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