Recently, Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno spoke of the need for a more positive message in all things to do with our fair city, I believe he said something about the Springfield you may not know. Along these lines, I offer my variation  on this.

Hypothetically: I am taking a first time Springfield visitor on a tour of our fair city, and of course I want to show him the best our town. Of course I could show him all the nice restaurants downtown, the beautiful Union Station, the fine Italian specialty shops and restaurants on and near by Main Street. Of course we will visit the casino, but there is so much more.

We definitely will go to the Basketball Hall of Fame,  and see the history of the great game that was invented right here in Springfield. Then we could go on to our beautiful Quadrangle and Museums, visit the Museum of Springfield  History and perhaps the Dr. Seuss Museum.

All of these places have their own charm and character, all are great spots to visit, but the best place? The absolutely must see place on our little tour? That place sits right on Sumner Avenue, and is the oft forgotten jewel of the city, Of course I am talking about Forest Park.

Driving through the main gate  we pass the stone pillars guarding either side of the entrance, then we notice the beautiful tennis courts on both sides of the road. We come upon the toll booth and pay the easy to afford $2 fee.

Now we come upon the huge swath of green playing fields and  by the big league sized baseball diamond which is anchored by the brick façade of the Walker Grandstands. If its the right time of year you can catch a nice high school game here. The field itself is enormous, big enough to hold several soccer and or football fields. We walk next to the road on a dirt and root path under a canopy of old stately pines, hundreds of which wrap two abreast around the entire perimeter of the field. Im not sure how long these huge pines have been around, but over 50 yeas ago, when I saw them as a ten year-old, they were enormous then.

Continuing on our journey we see a picnic area on the right, and the Forest Park zoo tucked in on the left. Ahead  on the left we come to one of our hidden gems, The Rose Garden, beautifully laid out trellises, and roses to the left to the right and overhead, in the spring and summer its spectacular. Continuing on we come to another grove laid out with tables and fireplaces, and some play ground  equipment for the youngsters.

Now we take a right and the road dips down and suddenly a whole new vista opens up, ponds, and ducks and geese and all kinds of water fowl. Little kids with their parents feeding the ducks bread, I’ve heard that bread wasn’t the ideal meal to feed these birds, but the birds seem to like it okay.

Next up we can go straight on and admire the waterfall, as it cascades under a beautiful wooden bridge.theres more to see over that way, but let’s turn back towards the road. Now you see this mountain which is terraced and shaped so that it is a natural amphitheater. It is very cool.

The road on the left of that hill leads to the Barney Mausoleum, a memory of the Barney family that donated much of the park to the city. Past this granite edifice, we come to the beautifully restored Barney Carriage House.

A place from a bygone era, its Victorian architecture is breathtaking. It’s a beautiful place to hold a wedding or a wedding reception.This I know from personal experience. There are many more places of interest in this Park,

But for me, Forest Park is the hidden gem that one must see to really see the real Springfield.


Mark Frodema
Springfield