Cletus
Hall of Famer
Posts: 20,058
Joined: Feb 2004
Reputation: 2130
I Root For: Memphis
Location: Collierville TN
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RE: They park on the grass at the Penal Farm (Shelby Farms) too?
(09-01-2017 03:10 PM)21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Wrote: (09-01-2017 01:03 PM)Tiger87 Wrote: So we don't like parking on grass? Do we prefer they pave the grass first?
No, we don't like our Zoo doing a land grab of the Greensward grass in order to expand their exhibits all the way to Poplar, so they can have that "front door" presence. We also don't like them cutting down mature trees next to the Greensward and on their 17-acre Old Forest land. And the reason WHY we try to protect as much grass in our main historic park is because the citizens of Memphis need a large park in the center of their city for recreation, nature, walking, hiking, biking, dog walking, sports, peace, and the great diversity of citizens that use it at all times of the day. The green area is used for large festivals, soccer games, picnics, and other activities that require a lot of room. We also decry the fact that the grass is not ADA compliant and we have seen people in wheelchairs struggle to get out of their cars and over the mud ruts.
And the other reason the Zoo's land grab is so egregious is that Overton Park was designed by the world-renowned landscape architect, George Kessler, who designed parks all over this country in the early 20th Century. It was designed as a working whole with a cohesive design for vistas and views and the flow of people through the park. Most other great cities do not allow their historic parks to be carved up into parking lots on grass. The Memphis Zoo has been a horrible neighbor to the other entities in the park, are NOT the world class zoo they claim to be, treat their employees like dirt and sell their old animals to canned hunting ranches, and serve mostly as an amusement park for visitors from Mississippi and Arkansas. The citizens of Memphis subsidize their operations to the tune of thousands of dollars because they are not self-sustaining.
Some of George Kessler's design for the park had scenic roads through the Forest. It seems cars were never a problem until modern times.
I used to enjoy a leisure weekend drive through Overton Park including sneaking down the MATA Bus lane that ran down the side of the Zoo front entrance all the way to E. Parkway.
Almost all of the 'Original' scenic drives have been closed off & planted over with trees.
Another poster said the Park came before the Zoo. That's true; but not by much & was instituted by the man who was behind both actually coming to fruition.
The Memphis College of Art (which has parking lots for faculty & students) as well as the Levitt Shell weren't part of the 'Original' plan; should they be allowed to stay?
Quote:COL. ROBERT GALLOWAY
September 3, 2014
Galloway Mansion
By Kelly Sowell, Elmwood Historian
Col. Robert Galloway played an important role in beautifying and enriching Memphis. He was a businessman who started out working for the Southern Railway, and later owned his own local coal company which made him a wealthy man. He made a significant contribution to The Home for Aged Women, which was opened in 1896 by the Willing Hands Circle of the Kings Daughters. When it was time for them to expand, they purchased a new lot at Monroe and Manassas costing about $1,100 for the land and the new building. Galloway paid off their debts and the Home was renamed the Mary Galloway Home in honor of his first wife.
Col. Robert Galloway obviously loved the outdoors. Not only was he an officer for the Memphis Boat Club, he was a member of the first Memphis Park Commission in 1901 and later became chairman. Through his efforts, the land for Overton Park was acquired and the parkway system established. He played a big part in developing and improving Overton Park. In 1904 he had a pavilion erected near the east end so the public could enjoy free concerts throughout the summer months. Also in 1904, a Southern black bear named “Natch” went to live in Overton Square, chained to a tree. He was the mascot for the Memphis Turtles baseball team. Galloway had the idea to build a home for Natch, and several other wild animals which had ended up at the Park, Galloway presented the city with a plan to form a Zoo. After a few attempts to establish a Zoo, the Memphis Park Commission allocated $1,200 to establish the Memphis Zoo in 1906. In the beginning Galloway used his own personal funds to care for the animals. Later the Memphis Zoo Association held fundraisers for the animals and for improvements. By 1907, the first building, named Galloway Hall, was built at the Zoo. If not for Col. Robert Galloway, we may not have our top-rated Zoo that is such an asset to the city today.
In 1908, Galloway began construction on Paisley Hall near the new Zoo at 1822 Overton Park. Finished in 1910, it is a beautiful example of Greek Revival architecture. Much of the interior was imported from Europe. Now commonly known as the Galloway Mansion, Elvis was interested in purchasing it before he settled at Graceland. The house still stands at Overton Park, but Col. Robert Galloway now resides at Elmwood Cemetary.
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Overton Park, Memphis TN - Circa 1906
Dogwood Drive, Overton Park, Memphis TN - Circa 1909
Scene in Overton Park, Memphis TN - Circa 1926
Bus lane in front of Memphis Zoo, Overton Park, Memphis TN - Circa 1970
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(This post was last modified: 09-13-2017 03:49 PM by Cletus.)
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