Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-18
OUR PUBLIC PARKS.

Correction OF q Long Mistaken ldes
as 20 the Names...The Proper Titles
and How They Were Acquired.
Let's Know the Right hereafter.
Editor ARGUS:
Rock ISLAND. Jan. 49, have noticed
in your paper that when you refer to the
public squares, you write of them as
Union square" Court House square
and Franklin square" Perhaps you are
not advised that this is not correct. At
the time of the revision of the city ordi-
nances in 1885, the city council fixed the
names of the squares as follows: Union
square was named Spencer square as
stated in the ordinance ''in commemora-
ton of Hon. John. W. Spencer. who dos
mated his interest in said square to the
public"
We have continued in the habit of
speaking of this square as Union square,
although l apprehend the name Spen-
Ger square will be very cordially in>
dorsed by the public when they un>
derstand that to be the name. Judge
Spencer was one of the original pro.
prletors of Spencer & Cases addition.
and dedicated this square for public pur,
poses. As understand il the square was
originally intended as site for school
houses and churches. 1t has been occu,
pied for school and church purposes
finally it was abandoned by the churches
and schools. and was left open as park
and so continued. the city having pos
session of it, and exercising ownership
over 1t as public park.
About the year 1858 certain party,
who. In fact represented the heirs of 10
nah Case. brought suit in fine United
States court in Chicago to recover this
square from the city. The suit failed
and to support the city's claim Judge
Spencer very earnestly assisted. Judge
Rock Island. His home character com,
mended him to everybody. and bis name
given to this square is a public recogni.
ton of the Judge. and hope the name
of Spencer square will be recognized.
Court house square as it is now called
is named by the ordinance Stephenson
square," Rock Island was originally
known as Fsrnamsburg. named after
Russell Farnam who was a partner of
Col. George Davenport. In 1885 an act
of the state legislature appointed com.
missioners TO establish the county seat OF
Rock Island county; this was dene and
the county seat was named Stephenson.
after one Col. Benjamin Stephenson.
The name Stephenson square perpetuates
the original corporate name of our city
which was continued to the year 1S41.
What is spoken of as Franklin square
is named by the ordinance as "Gurnsey
square," as the ordinance states "in COM
memoration of Hon. Daniel g. Gurnsey
who, with his associates, laid out the ad.
ditIOn in which said square is situated
and donated his interest in said square tC
the public" The names of these square,
being fixed by ordinance. and beinG
names permanently associated with the
early growth Of our city, would it not be
well to recognize the names when max.
ing public reference to themf W. J.
The above will correct a very general,
prevailing mistaken idea as to the prope
names of our public parks. 1t is prob
able that a number of our citizens hsv
known the legalized titles, but hav
failed through a combination of hsbi
and csrelessness to so call them. 1t is 9,
natural to call the square, bounded b,
Second and Third avenues and Nine
teenth aud Twentieth streets, "Uniol
Square" that it has almost become
second nature. But, however, now tina
this park is to be made a park in fact, a
nj in Lot rxyit "a "a
formation from an eye,sore to thing o
beauty, cease to associate the abandone,
name with it, but call it as 1t is In law
spencer Square" or Spencer Park.
Let US now call our public squares o
parks BY their proper names, and so des
ignste them hereafter.