Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-09
MEMORIES OF LONG AGO.
The City's Pretty Green, When and
 By Whom Laid Out.

By Whom Laid Out.
 Written for the DEMOCRAT
 While breathing air sweetly filtered by the noble elms on Waterbury's pretty green on a recent day, the writer's thoughts unwittingly went back and formed a mental picture of the primeval days of the now grassy plot in the city's heart. As he unused, there approached one who has watched the evolution of the city from a country village to it's present cosmopolitan style and its B, 200 inhabi- tants, and who knew every tree upon the green from its infancy. At word the latter unbosomed himself and told a story that will be interesting both to the older residents of the city and the thous- ands who find shade and rest beneath the towering elms on the green.
 Soon after the First Congregational church was removed from the eastern corner of the green, in the years 1SS9-4O, which was then an open space through which ran three unkept roads, the Hon Greene Kendrick, grandfather of the present ex-Mayor Greene Kendrick, who was one of the most enterprising men that Waterbury ever had, conceived the idea of making this barren, unkept place a thing of beauty, that generations to come would appreciate. At this time the town was 10th to make improve ments or to spend the peoples money for such a purpose and every effort Mir Kendrick put forth in the borough meetings to make puplic park of the center met with failure.
 Mir Kendrick was man Of great ten acity of character and could not give the idea up. The benefit of the town for years to come he thought of, and finally he started out with a private sub- scription to raise the funds necessary to carry out his plan. He found but few willing to contribute, not even those living in the center, with the exception of Messrs Scovill, Lampson and Will Hams, who were willing to help pay for the improvement. But in their gener- osity, and with his own subscription, he raised $500 and the work was com menced with a will.
 In the first place the ground was filled up several feet, then graded for the trees to be planted. The soil for filling was taken from an embankment where Dr North's house now stands. Almon Far rell did the work of filling in and grad ing. The trees in part came from what was called the park, just back of Israel Holmes home. They were furnished by a man named Lockwood. The re- mainder came from Hinchliff's bridge, just above Waterville, and were brought by one Austin Painter, costing twenty | five cents apiece. Mir kendrlck, with his own hands, measured and worked the place for every tree. So careful was he of their growth, if one failed to live he soon planted another in it's place.
 In his later years it was MT Kendrick' s delight to watch from his front porch the growth of the green, and the beauty | it would add to his "adopted city" Long years after I am gone" he said, ''the people will appreciate what have done for them" This was often re- mark that fell from his lips. Alas, how few who enjoy it's pleasures and charms to-day think of the generous man who thought so far into the city's future think or care for its originator. As a people we are apt to forget what has been done for us by those who have gone before.
 That other sacred place, Riverside cemetery, where he lies sleeping until the last trump shall sound. also originat- ed with Mir Kendrick.