The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-01-06
BlSMARCK'S BEAUTIFUL PARK SHOWS
WHAT GROUP OF WOMEN CANDO WHEN
UNITED ON PROJECT FOR CITY'S GOOD


marck's park is one of a Sc
ries Of articles written by
Miss Bertha r. Palmer, state
superintendent CT public in
struction, now appearing in
the Fargo Forum. The series
is entitled Beauty Spots in
North Dakota" The cut ac-
ccmpanying the story is used
through the courtesy of the
FOrum.)
1t makes no difference which d.
rection one takes going out Of Bis
marck, enc is sure to meet some
thing Of historic interest, and very
shortly to come upon beautiful
view: 90 south and come to- the
building Of Fort Abraham Lincoln
with the valley of Apple creek just
beyond; 20 east and come to the
grounds and buildings Ct the state
penitentiary, thought-provoking, il
not beautiful; go north to the CAPT
tol building and TO the hill beyond
for wonderful views of the city
and the rolling country farther
north; 90 west and feast the eyes
upon the panorama spread out for
all who will see--the great bridges
over the Missouri, the hills and
plains to the southwest and finally
the old river bottoms and the blue
hills far in the distance. Perhaps
all these views, 50 close to the city.
are the reason there was no effort
to have a city park till so long
after the city became city.
First Plan in 1910
It was in 1908 that the first
meeting was held to form a civic
organization which resulted in the
Civic Improvement league. Def
mite plans for a park began in 1910.
Today the city boasts Custer park,
which has literally grown from a
ravine of waste land in the west
ern half of the town to a thing Of
beauty, enjoyed by everyone who
passes by. 1t is an irregular
shaped piece of land over four
blocks long and varying from the
width of street to nearly block
wide and containing about four
acres.
The park is an example of what
a group of women can do when
they are united on a project to
beautify the city, and then keer
at it.
The purchase price O. the land
was raised by personal subscrip-
ton from the citizens; money TO,
the improvements and upkeep was
raised by every means possible
The land, when acquired, was GOV.
cred with, brush and weeds; it was
necessary to cultivate it before
grass could be sowed, SO the ladie,
planted vegetables there and sole
them in the summer and main
tanned skating rink in the win
ter.
When the ground was in tn,
proper condition, landscape archi
tect, employed by the city parl
board of St. Paul, was secured t.
make a planting plan. The frs
tree was planted by the presidcnt
of the league, Mrs. C. NJ. Dahl, t.
whose vision and untiring efforts
the result is largely due. The
park was dedicated to Gen. Custer
and the anniversary of his leaving
for the last campaign, May II, is
observed as planting day." wher
trees, shrubs, and flower beds, ac.
cording to the original plan, have
been set out and cultivated. On
planting day, 1921, a northern
spruce was set out to the memory
Of Mark Kellogg, the reporter whn
went with the Custer expedition tc
the Little Big Horn; on another
planting day a flower bed was
planted to Captain Grant Marsh
who brought the river steamer, the
Ear West" on its record making
trip down the Big Horn, Yellow.
stone and Missouri rivers, carrying
the wounded from that last terri.
BILE fight.
Get Pool in 1922
In 1922 the Elks built a $4,000
swimming pool en- the south end
of the park grounds. A place is
designated for a band stand, and
another for q statue Of Gen. Gus.
ter, but these are future" i'm
provements. Today there are
more than 400 trees, $50 shrubs,
and Is flower beds; the place is q
riot Of bloom from June till No
vember.
The little park Of which every
one is now so proud, was the cause