The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-07-07
TIE MlesRoriai Park
si OF Sumter
Sunter's New Landscape Gar
denw Describes the .City's
Gift TO Service Men
II think I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree"

tl poem lovely as a Tree.
For several months work has hren
progressing on the Memorial Park in
sumter and now u begins TO look az ir
Y soon would be "a park and not the
wilderness OF yore. This park IL to
stand as perpetual reminder t6 com
iqg generaticns that sumter County
rtccGnized and appreciated the su.
treme sacrifice made by those of her
sons who died In the Great War. i9l7-
1919
The site chosen foe this Memorial
, Park. ir the heart OF the residences
section OF the city. was n most fortun-
ste one. On u there stands sixty trees
There are willow, pine and water oaks
sge-old live oak trees. goodly pecans,
grand magnolia, that towers high
above ALL aud bay tree that rises
slightly feet above the ground with
tronk AZ straight and, rs well proper
uoncd as the mast Of "a racing yacht
These trees line the entrance avenue
and shade what Is TO be broad ex-
ponses,of smooth lawns that cover the
SIX acres Included in the tract.
Shrubhery borders have been plant
ed urd "a growing. living background
OF evergreen trees has been made this
spring. There are spruce and pines.
mrs and cedars. hollies and wild olives,
pnotiiias ard ioquats. japanese priv
cts and anise trees beautifully group
ed so that the houses and hack yards
that surround two sides OF the park
will soon By hidden by wall Of living
green Tall poplars of Lombardy
make n temporary screen lT
In the foreground OF the shrubbery
borders are masses OF blossonring
,plitnts Altheas and crepe myitlcs,
hypcricufn and summes lilac. shrub.
htry roses. succas ana hydrangeas. SUI
fasc and abeIias, pink spireas and the.
green berries of the priyets make the
'3lctures Tor midsummer glory. Spring
|,~ill show the wonders OF the pink
dcgwo>ds than which here is moth
cnS lcvciicr. White dogwoods are
grouped srsongthe pines. snowy spires
against the privets. pearl bushes
uhsone the hoiiles. golden bells ana
.jawnme In fragrant loneliness are To-
brink perpci ual reminder Of love that
does mo- dlk hut HIVES ON ana on grow.
ing more and more beautiful and
sweet with the years
With these stately trees. those hand
sofne borders, and the bread stretches
% smoolh-shaven lawns are TO he
pleasant walks or gravel that lead to
and display all the beauty that IS
there. High above the trees. serene
and unstained, etched against the sky.
Will noat old GIory-the very heart
and cssnter OF this memorial the nag
they ioved--the Hug for which they
foughtand died.
The houses that have been moved.
the houses that have ben razed. the
che houses that have been razed. the
rubbish that has been burned, that has
beer hauled out by hundreds of loads.
GRADING and raking aiiil rolling and
pbnting Of these six acres has been
done IN spite OF insufficient and un-.
skflled labor aud delay In transporta-
ticn Of material F'rorp day to day
the park has grown and soon will be
ready " BE- presented to the people of
the city.
There are Hero Groves In Georgia.
there are Victory Avenues I'm Ohio.
there are Rememberance Roads In
California. there are Memorial Parks
In Maine, there are Hero Trees i'm
France. all tciling the same story of
appreciation and love. The city Coun-
eh Of Sumter has given To that city u
link in the 'country's chain OF memor-
ini paintings. IL " safe tp say that
no more Beautiful link win be found
tn America. Their vision OF the future
shows unis park as n breathing pnce
for the fffv A community canter nn.
potent factor In the civic. social aud
eommunify life
Here will gatner the people OF the
county, Tor ''Ounty celebrations. The
church and civic organizations. social
ciubs aud fraternal orders will gather
here Tor lawn fetes and garden per-
Ties. fhe High School boys and girls