Vander Veer Botanical Park

Vander Veer Botanical Park

The lagoon at Vander Veer Park
Type Public park
Location Davenport, Iowa
Coordinates 41°32′37.68″N 90°34′30.72″W / 41.5438000°N 90.5752000°W
Area 33-acre (0.13 km2)
Created 1885
Operated by Davenport Parks and Recreation
Open All year
Designated April 9, 1985
Reference no. 85000784[1]
Designated August 4, 1993[2]

The Vander Veer Botanical Park is a 33-acre (130,000 m2) botanical garden in the Vander Veer Park Historic District of Davenport, Iowa. It is believed to be one of the first botanical parks west of the Mississippi River. The park was listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties on August 4, 1993.[2]

History

Vander Veer Park was established in 1885. The city of Davenport purchased the land for $13,000 ($341226 in 2015 dollars).[3][4] The park was built on the old Scott County Fairgrounds land and modeled after New York City’s Central Park.[4] Vander Veer was originally named Central Park. In 1912 the park was renamed after the first secretary of the Davenport Park Board of Commissioners, A.W. Vander Veer.[4] A conservatory, music pavilion, and decorative fountains were added after World War I.[4]

The park is currently maintained by a nonprofit organization, The Friends of Vander Veer.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Historic Preservation Commission. "Davenport Register of Historic Properties". City of Davenport. Retrieved 2011-03-16.
  3. Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2014. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Vander Veer Botanical Park". Davenport Public Library. Retrieved 2008-01-18.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vander Veer Botanical Park.

Coordinates: 41°32′38″N 90°34′31″W / 41.5438°N 90.5752°W