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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Dixon, Illinois' Lowell Park Marks 100th Anniversary


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April 17th marked the 100th anniversary of Lowell Park in Dixon. It has also just recently been placed on the National register of Historic Places.

 

It has 200 picturesque acres along the Rock River. Ronald Reagan had one of his early jobs there as a lifeguard.

 

How it came to be a park is quite an interesting history.

 

On February 29, 1860, Charles Russell Lowell of Burlington, Iowa, bought the north half for $875 and the south half for $500. He had been the valecdictorian of Harvard's class of 1854. At the time, he was local treasurer of the Burlington and Missouri Railroad. He intended to build a home there, but the coming of the Civil War disrupted his plans. He entered in the Union army, eventually rising to the rank of general.

 

In 1863, he married Josephine Shaw, the sister of Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded the ill-fated all-black 54th Massacusetts which was featured in the movie "Glory." Unfortunately, he was killed at the Battle of Cedar Creek on Oct. 20, 1864. His daughter Carlotta was born six weeks later.

 

His wife Josephine was very involved in parks and kept the land, even though she continued to live in New York City. She died in 1905. Carlotta offered the land to Dixon if they would turn it into a park. The city council at first turned it down, citing its distance from town and cost of upkeep. But citizens lobbied and changed their minds.

 

Carlotta had the famed park and landscape architect brothers, Frederick Law and John Olmsted, prepare a report for development. These two men designed the grounds around the US Capitol and White House as well as New York's Central Park.

 

In 1907, the city accepted the land and began improvements. On August 21st, the grand opening was held with many Dixon businesses closing shop. Around 6000 people picnicked in the new park.

 

Dixon is planning on having another big to-do this coming August 21st.

 

From the Sauk Valley News "Rooted in History: Lowell Park's founders left a legacy for Dixon" by Malinda Osborne.

 

Keep on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

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