The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-15
Landscape. Architect Submits
Plans for Treatment
CITIZENS FURNISH FUNDS
Object Is to Make the Park Absolutely
Unique and One of the City's
Rare Beauty Spots-WiII
Become Shady Dell

idihS " tfiS PidHS W hith nave oSSiA
adopted, IT will be one of the most beau
tiful of all the little garden spots of
the south. About $4,000 is already in hand.
and soon as final arrangements are
completed, City Engineer Nicholson will
break ground, grade the terraces, fill
in the lawns and superintend the work
The citizens living in the neighbor-
hood becoming interested in the develop
ment of the park, which is now a dark
dismal hollow, around which Highland
avenue makes half circle, while Mon
roe avenue and Twenty-eighth street COM
plete the boundary. organized for the
purpose and appointed a committee to
have the matter in charge, which is COM
posed of William Walker. chairman; R.
D. Burnett. secretary and treasurer; S.
e. Thompson, Paschal Shook. Sumter
Bethea, T. Joy and Mrs. Rufus N. Rhodes
1t Is one of the greatest results of the
city beautiful movement.
When George H. Miller, the Boston
landscape artist was in Birmingham
planning the development at Corey. he
was employed to prepare plans for Rhodes
park and they have been received by
the committee and adopted Mr.. Miller
will be in Birmingham in a few days
and will go over the ground with the
committee, making full estimate of the
cost and explaining to Mr.. Nicholson
the details of development.
VIII Become Shady Dell
Roughly speaking the park is to be-
come shady dell with cement and gravel
walks followed by trees and foliage The
sides will be terraced and at the axis
q basin with a fountain will be placed
surrounded by a brick court, and APP
preached by the two entrances, the one
on Monroe avenue and the other on
Twenty eighth street. The entrances will
be INTELLECTUALLY perfect. with balu-
strades, posts and steps leading down
first to a platform and then to the
park level. There will be several lawns
for play-provided with swings, sand pits
and games.
1t is not proposed to make a great
playground of this park, but an open
beauty spot, with provision for quietude
and enjoyment, and light exercise for
smaller children. Mr.. Miller, with his
drawings, submitted a study of the gen.
eraI arrangement which will give a fine
idea of the park as 1t will appear when
completed He says:
Il believe that you will agree with me
that there is not that congestion of
human occupancy of the land area In
that section of the city and that the
types of residences of that neighborhood
are not such as to demand that Rhodes
park be developed as a modern play
ground for the directed recreation of the
multitude or as an athletic field accom-
modating gregarious followings such as
are wont to accompany competing teams.
Rhodes park should be used primarily as
an open beauty spot, a communal space
for neighborly rest, quietude and the
enjoyment of light exrcise such as re-
uuires no instructors or set piece para
phernalia to mar the landscape or such
as would be justified only as serving
considerable numbers.
subdue the Regidity
"In the improvement of this park area
it will first be necessary to subdue the
unattractive, unsuggestive and unarchl-
airy line slopes. To accomplish this |
propose to surround the central park
area with q naturalistic border of plant
ing which, while Of little height in it.
self, will appear from within the park
like a screen desirably increasing the
privacy of the area. This foliage mass
ing has been extended at places down
into the park area to give 1t new shape
and emphasize its parts. This foliage
mass will not seriously interrupt the
view into the park either from sur
rounding residences or street walks. 1t
will, however, break 1t sufficiently here
and there to soften the hard profile. 1t
will be composed mostly Of shrubbery.
This done, the area Immediately be-
comes a more or less formal hollow ex-
tending the long way of the park, wide
fiat narrowing to the top or south This
hollow is divided into two distinct parts,
the upper being a smaller open sunny
space almost entirely surrounded by the
heaviest tree masses which also tend to
separate the two, the lower being partly
surrounded by scattered tree groups at
the rising edges. In the former l have
chosen to develop a central formal set
ting to overlook broad open lawn below.
hence the necessity Of main axis.
There Is observable, particularly ON
the ground, almost an avenue OF tree
growth separating the upper and lower
open. and extending In dip across the
hollow This avenue Ia terminated at
either end by good sized tree under
which might be placed a seat to serve
the purpose OF a shady resting spot
where one may look down tree and
shrub bordered walk, and also as an OBJ
iect of interest in approach. The line OF
this existing avenue as perpendicular
has determined the direction OF main axis
together with the intersection Of north
property bound and the pro3ectel centei
line of Twenty-eighth street
ION this axis hare indicated the two
entrances 10 the park. The lower en-
trance is practically the low point In
Monroe avenue, which by easy grade
forms the natural approach from the
Highland avenue outlets and twenty
eighth street, which is of increasing I'M
portance. This Ia the only point IN the
park where entrance can be made without
a considerable number of steps. More
ever. this point being on the axis. 1t Is
ar entrance that will conform more SIM
ply to the ornamentation OF the park AS
the view in approach up Twenty-e'ghth
street any feature placed here will DO
an object of interest and terminus for
the view napproach up Twenty-eighth
street, which view now carries TO the
distance in way not decisive or par
ttcularIy attractive The other entrance
ia one approachable by easy grade from
that part of Highland avenue facing the
park and from Waucoma and Linden
streets. / do not believe that the direct
ness in a possible entrance at the north
east and northwest corners of the park
justifies the expense OF same. More
over entrance at these points cannot h"
given the desirable expression that would