History of Green Bay's Parks

Meyer Park

Late in 1951, the city council voted to accept a deed from the heirs of George J. Meyer … to be used for park purposes. ¹ Known as the old soap factory site, the area is covered with large cottonwoods, and is one of the most picturesque spots within city limits, said a newspaper article. The article continued, Long regarding it as a necessary link in the proposed East River parkway, the city has been negotiating for the property since last June, the mayor said. Accodring to the article, The deed specified that the land shall be used for park purposes, and that a bronze plaque to the memory of George J. Meyer be erected on a boulder monument. ^{2 3}

Much of the next year went by before the details of the bronze tablet were agreed to with the family ⁴ but by September, 1952, the order was in the works ⁵ and a dedication ceremony took place on June 24, 1953. ⁶

Even before the dedication of the monument in 1953, the Green Bay Woman's Club initiated a plan to plan five or six trees this year, intending this tradition to be carried out in the future by adding one or more trees each year as financially possible. ⁷ A decade later, one of the original committee members was concerned that the tree planting was not being continued, but the park department responded that plantings were done in many years, including 1959, 1960, and 1961. ⁸

Despite community support, the park faced problems in the early years. In 1967, one of the heirs wrote, On a recent visit while attending one of the Packer games, I took a few friends to visit the … park. We were amazed that this beautiful piece of property was in such deplorable condition, mentioning specifically that the placque was smeared with paint, as well as broken bottles and beer cans and weeds on the river bank. ⁹ The park department wrote back to say, We set about immediately to improve the conditions. The department also wrote that curb and gutter work being done last fall created quite a mess along the west side of the park … It should be further pointed out that our neighboring village to the south was dumping their refuse on lowland near the river, although this dump is now closed. ¹⁰

The close proximity to the much larger Joannes Park seems to have caused some confusion about which demographic should be served in Meyer Park. A playground plan was developed in the middle 1990s including teetertotters, a sandbox, and swings for both small and large people. ¹¹ This playground was apparently installed, but then later removed. ¹² Neighborhood parents wrote a few years later, We have a large number of children on our block and do not feel comfortable letter them play at Joannes Park. That is such a busy place for them. These parents suggested that it might be possible to have a park-tender at Meyer Park. ¹³ While promising to discuss the idea with the city's park committee, the parks department cautioned that we do not have the funding to provide this program at every park location. ¹⁴ A new playground was developed and equipment purchased in 2000. ¹⁵ The new tot playground in Meyer park was to serve only the little kids in the neighborhood and the new (replacement) structures currently being installed at nearby Joannes Park, would serve as the playground area for the kids from 6 to 12+ years of age. ¹⁶

A Scout Council Ring was put in at the southeast corner near the water with bricks from the Tower Park fence. ⁹⁹

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