|
HISTORY OF TROUT PARK 1870Dr. P.W. PRATT began a fish hatchery and enclosed a 70 acre park known then as "Cedar Swamp" by the locals. It was situated on the east side of the river, 1 1/2 miles north of the city. The many springs in this "Trout Park" fed the ponds where young salmonade were raised. Some of the springs were believed to have medicinal values. Elk and deer were also stocked in the park, which became a popular resort for pleasure seekers, "especially Germans from Chicago". Dr. W. A PRATT continued to improve the facility after his fathers death in 1872.
On May 29, 1909, an amusement park opened at Trout Park. The highlight of attractions was the Circle Dip Roller Coaster, which was the first one of its kind. The popularity of the park waned by the end of the season, and the owners were left with a pile of bills and a bevy of judgments against them. However, while the park was operational, it treated its public to such delights as The Carousel, the Ocean Wave and the Circle Swing. Trout Park certainly has roots planted in America's distant past. However, the Elginites of the late 19th and early 20th century had plans of their own for this lovely old park during their time. The park was home for Elgin's first professional baseball team, The Kittens, named after their manager, Malachi Kittredge. A stadium was erected for the Kittens' home games that would seat 3500 spectators. For years, local baseball fans had supported amateur and semipro teams, but it wasn't until 1910 that the city received a professional franchise in the newly formed Northern Association. Elgin's opponents in the Class C league were Clinton, Muscatine, Jacksonville, Joliet, Decatur, Freeport and Kankakee. The Elgin Baseball Association sold two hundred fifty shares in the local club at ten dollars each and raised additional money selling booster buttons. The trolley line, interested in the fares to and from the games, made a donation and contributed the stands for new playing field at Trout Park. Elgin had an experienced manager, Malachi "Kitty" Kittredge, a former Chicago Cub catcher. So respected was Kittredge that the team adopted the nickname Kittens. The Kittens' pitching and speed were a winning combination. Cy Boothby hurled a no-hitter early in the season, and in the home opener with the Clinton Tigers, little Fritz Maisel stole four bases. The Kittens were leading the pack with a record of 35 wins and only 19 losses when the Northern Association folded early in July. Elgin was awarded the pennant, but the chief beneficiaries of the doomed venture were the railroads. The Northern Association covered more territory than the Class B Three-Eye League, which was based in larger cities. Traveling expenses and poor attendance forced withdrawal of the weaker teams. Maisel was the only Kitten to reach the majors. Playing with New York in the American League in 1914, he set a major league record by stealing 74 ases
In 1969, Hazel Belle Perry wrote about Trout Park in her newspaper article, "Old Elgin Tales". She wrote, "Usually, our Old Elgin Tales go back no farther than 134 years, but today's Elgin Tale takes us back thousands of years to the Glacial Period". Trout Park truly has its history during the period when the earth had gone cold and glaciers pushed down from the north and covered much of the earth with ice. As these glaciers slid south, they carried with them soil, vegetation and plants not necessarily indigenous to the area. It is theorized that white cedar trees occupied much of Northern Illinois, but were crowded out by trees more indigenous to the climate. However, since Trout Park has so many cold springs, the white cedar trees found a home here. While Trout Park became legendary for its unique and valuable vegetation, it also served as a sanctuary for birds and wildlife. Many of the birds and animals that found their homes in Trout Park were quickly becoming extinct in other portions of Northern Illinois. In 1922, the city of Elgin took over Trout Park by an order from Mayor Arwin Price. The land was purchased from the estate of William P. Carpenter for $4,500. The original deal was for 18 acres. Two years later, Elgin would add another 35 acres from W. H. Crichton for $10,000. Over the years, various conservation groups, including the Elgin Wild Flower Society, the Elgin Conservation Council, and The Audubon Society would use this area as a place for study and exploration |
