October 1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

NPS Form 10-900a OMBAWv✓aINo1024 0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service • National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number _7_ Page —8- 7. Description of Existing Conditions Related to Historic Designed Landscape Features. Topography and Natural Features: The site was once a low-lying floodplain area. Historic records indicate that portions of the site have been raised and levelled. The banks of the St. Joseph have been stabilized in the center and west sections with limestone blocks. In the east section, earthwork has been created to blend the large covered reservoir with the surrounding land. In the west section created landforms have been installed to create the level court and playfield area, and to provide the roadway connection to the Chapin Park Addition. The steep east -facing slope of the Addition forms the visual and physical western boundary of the park. In the central section, a pronounced, shaped terrace defines the area in which the excavated Duck Pond is located. Other topographic features include the rounded bowl of the sunken garden, and subtle earthwork which once defined the area where the wading pool was located. Spatial Organization, Views and Vistas. The site is primarily a canopied open space. Openings in the tree canopy exist at the sunken garden, the duckpond, and the playfield and court areas. The Park was designed to provide views of the river from a number of locations. Vistas include the views • approaching the park from Main Street, where there is a view of the central formal garden, and from Lafayette Boulevard, where the view terminates at the River. Vegetation: A mixture of native and planted species exists on the site. Trees are planted throughout, with little obvious massing or clumping. Cottonwood, Sycamore, Sugar and Soft Maples predominate. Crabapples provide accents, planted near the Navarre cabin, Michigan St. bridge, and along Park Lane. Shrub plantings referred to in historic documentation no longer exist. Only remnants of the once extensive flower gardens remain. Circulation: Riverside Drive proceeds through the site as planned by the Kessler remodeling of the earlier carriage loop featured in the 1905 Beyer plan. Only portions of the Kessler walk system were ever constructed; a fragment remains in the playground area of the center section. Water Features: The Duck Pond remains in its historic location, although extensively remodelled during the 1980's and 90's. The site is worn and functional in appearance. The second lagoon in the center section no longer exists. Additional water features included the pool in the eastern section of which only the concrete edge remains, and the wading pool and trellised arbor, which has been removed. Water spigots, and wells associated with the City Waterworks, exist throughout the Park, reinforcing the connection between the Waterworks and Park functions of Leeper Park. Structures: The North Pumping Station, its associated cistern and underground reservoir remain as landmarks in Leeper Park . Three smaller brick structures, built apparently as well -houses (c1930- 1940) also exist. One serves as the staging structure for the Zeigler Peformance Center , the second as a restroom facility for the Navarre cabin area, the third is closed, and exists as a folly in the center area. All three are in the Georgian Revival style and feature carefully detailed brickwork, with limestone accents and trim. The Navarre cabin was rebuilt in the park in 1904, and has been • subsequently relocated and repositioned. The structure appears in good condition and is used for historic re -creations and other interpretative events. The shelterhouse built with WPA labor has been removed, replaced by tennis court expansion and the recreation building (c. 1970). The Wading pool