Winston-Salem is blessed with many parks that have been established, maintained, and enjoyed over the years. In fact, the city’s website claims that the Parks & Recreation Department operates and maintains 74 parks that cover over 3.5 thousand acres of land. A list of 61 parks and 11 greenways and strollways can be found on the City of Winston-Salem’s website, http://www.cityofws.org/Departments/Recreation-Parks/Parks-Greenways#park-greenway-list.
One of the city’s oldest parks, Spring or Springs Park, is not included in this list because it is classified as mini/ornamental. Spring Park, as it is called today, is located along West End Boulevard. There are actually two sections to the park and they are separated by Broad Street. The terrain of the park is rather rugged and hilly, but provides a natural respite in the midst of the traffic that enters and exits the city. In fact, the park provides one of the first looks at the “downtown” when traffic comes into the city via Reynolda Road.
The park was given the name “Springs Park” because of the natural springs and brooks that ran through the park. In addition to the springs and brooks, the stone bridges and ornamental wooden railings added an aesthetic elegance to the park.
Richard J. Atwood lives in a house that overlooks Spring Park, so he observes the park on a daily basis and in all seasons. Richard recently researched the history of the park and documented his findings in a booklet titled, “Spring Park: A Short History.” In addition to the history of the park, the booklet also documents the changes that have occurred in the park and its structures. “Then and Now” images show the park in earlier years compared to the park in 2018. He elaborates on how the aesthetically pleasing structures are either being replaced with fences made of pipes or not replaced at all. And, there are plans to remove the stone bridges that are similar to those in Miller and Hanes Parks.
Read Richard’s history of Spring Park in the North Carolina Collection at the Central Forsyth County Public Library.
Photographs courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
Stay tuned for the next delicious post on June 8th: Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan.
