Treasures of The Texas Collection
Cameron Park
Script for KWBU-FM and Texas NPR Stations
By Hans Christianson
HOST (Mary Landon Darden)
Many people outside of Waco, Texas, do not know that the city is home
to one of the largest municipal parks in the nation — William Cameron
Park. Consisting of 416 acres, the park lies in the heart of the city and
runs along the Brazos and Bosque Rivers. It also contains hiking and
biking trails, fishing spots, and a disc golf course, not to mention the
natural scenery.
Joining me today is Austin freelance writer Hans Christianson who will
talk about the history of Cameron Park and its upcoming centennial
celebration in May 2010.
Welcome to the show Hans.
(Hans) Thanks Mary. It's a pleasure to be here.
Let's start by talking about the beginning of Cameron Park, which
opened nearly a century ago.
William Cameron Park got its start on May 24, 1910, when Mrs. Flora
B. Cameron and her three children donated Proctor Springs and $5,000 to
the City of Waco. Their intention was for the city to use the land to create
and maintain a city park, which would be named in honor of her late
husband William Cameron. The park would be the crown jewel of Waco and
the southwestern United States. As Mrs. Cameron put it, the park was
created “for the pleasure of the people.”
Over the next several decades, the Cameron family would continue to
donate more land and money to the park. In all, their generosity totaled more
than $100,000 in land and gifts. At the same time, the city purchased
additional acreage to help increase the overall size.
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I understand that the original park movement in Waco wasn't focused
on creating one central park.
The original idea was to place a park in each of the city's five wards.
Because of the public interest, a bond issue was brought before the city's
voters in February 1910. One of the bond's biggest champions was a woman
named Kate Friend, who would also be instrumental later on in establishing
a playground within Cameron Park. To reach the voters, of which – as a
woman – she was not a part (it was 1910 after all), she wrote an editorial in
the Waco Times-Herald describing her five reasons for the park movement.
First, she liked the idea of five smaller parks spread throughout the
city instead of one big park. The smaller parks would allow more people to
enjoy them and provide easier access for poorer citizens who had limited
transportation access.
Second, she believed that beautiful parks would draw more people to
the city and ultimately bring more customers to local businesses.
Third, the parks would serve a moral purpose. Children would have a
safe place to go and play instead of occupying the streets. Workers, instead
of frequenting saloons, would also choose to go to the parks with their
families once they finished the work day.
Fourth, (and I think this is the most interesting), the parks would
provide outdoor, open spaces and fresh air needed to improve the health of
Wacoans who were battling tuberculosis.
Finally, the creation of beautiful parks would lead to the cleaning up
of the city, including yards and homes. And on February 17, 1910, the voters
overwhelmingly passed the $35,000 park bond.
Kate Friend was also instrumental with the fund raising experience
surrounding the playground equipment for Cameron Park.
After the park's opening and dedication, a good deal of money from
the original bond was spent on much-needed improvements. The problem is
that there was no money left for installing a playground for the city's
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children. The women and children decided to take the lead in raising money
for the equipment by holding an ice cream cone drive at the local schools.
The First Ward Civic League also joined in the cause. The fund raising drive
was led by park activist Kate Friend. The efforts were successful enough to
raise the initial few hundred dollars needed for the equipment.
The biggest boost for the playground came in the form of a 1911
Christmas gift from the Cameron family. Acting as “Santa Claus,” the family
gave a $1,000 check to Friend for the equipment. Armed with this new
funding, she raised an additional $300. In April 1912, the new playground
opened up in Cameron Park, much to the delight of children and parents
alike.
The area surrounding Proctor Springs, the foundation of Cameron
Park, has a Native American legend. What’s the story behind the
legend?
Proctor Springs was a sacred area for the Wacoan Indians. In 1772,
they established a village near Waco Springs, on the west bank of the Brazos
River. They survived on hunting and agriculture. They also refused to fish in
the waters of the river.
The Wacoans had a special name for the Brazos — they called it the
“Great Tohomoto.” They also believed the river had protective powers and
was home to a goddess named “Woman Having Powers in Water.” Drinking
the water from the springs and river provided the Wacoans with a sense of
security and protection.
The protective powers would not last, however. In 1820s, the
Cherokee began to move into the area. By 1830, they too, established a
village along the east banks of the Brazos. They wouldn't be the last of the
visitors. In 1837, the Wacoans abandoned their village and a contingent of
Texas Rangers built an outpost named Fort Fisher in the same spot.
Over the next several decades, Waco continued to grow and expand.
Proctor Springs became a natural, outdoor recreational spot for people to
gather. To celebrate their emancipation from slavery, African Americans
used the area for their Juneteenth celebration. In 1896, more than 6,000 Civil
War veterans (Union and Confederate) used the area for a reunion. When the
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park bond passed in 1910, all eyes turned to Proctor Springs as a potential
location.
I imagine that, since there was overwhelmingly positive support by
voters for the park, once opened, there must have been an enthusiastic
response from the citizens.
It was an instant hit with Waco residents. Even though it was barely
developed, people began enjoying the park immediately. Picnicking was a
favorite activity of families, and people often had to get to the park early in
the morning to stake out their spot for the day.
One of the biggest hits was the evening concerts held during the first
summer by Professor V. Alessandro and his band. People turned out in huge
numbers to hear the music. The newspaper even printed weekly song lists to
bring to the show. Some of the local teenagers tried to interrupt the concerts,
but they were quickly stopped by the growing police presence in the park.
The park really gained wide-spread recognition at its dedication. It
sounded like nearly the whole city turned out for that celebration.
Cameron Park was officially dedicated on Friday, May 27, 1910. The
mayor issued a proclamation inviting the city's residents to turn out and
honor the Cameron family for their generosity. He even declared the day a
half holiday, so school children could attend the event with their families.
I don't know if anyone expected the turnout. The crowd numbered
between 12,000 and 15,000 people. A parade started at the intersection of
12th Street and Austin Avenue, and residents decorated cars, streets and
businesses in crimson, white and navy blue — the Cameron family colors.
The master of ceremonies at the park was Baylor University’s Samuel
Palmer Brooks. Following the invocation, one of the Cameron
granddaughters, Eleanor, christened the park by pouring a pitcher of cold,
pure water from the springs onto the ground. In true Southern style, the
Baylor band burst into a rousing rendition of “Dixie.”
Isn't there a story about the Texas Cotton Palace and Cameron Park?
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In 1910, a movement began to rebuild the Texas Cotton Palace, which
had burned to the ground after its inaugural year in 1894. Proctor Springs
was one of the proposed sites of the new palace along with the palace's
eventual home, Padgett Park. The supporters of Proctor Springs championed
the site's fresh water, level landscape and incredible view of the Brazos
River. Their slogan advertised, “No mud, no dust, no mosquitoes.” A
massive propaganda war emerged over a two-week period between the sites.
In the end, Proctor Springs lost the bid.
Looking back for a moment, let’s talk about the park's benefactors, the
Cameron family. Who were they and why did they decide to donate so
much land and money?
The Cameron family members were philanthropists who lived and
worked in the Waco area. In fact, their gifts of Proctor Springs and the
subsequent gifts of land and (OK) set them up to be the most philanthropic
family in Waco. But the park itself was given to honor the family patriarch
who had died more than a decade earlier. The real question is: who was
William Cameron?
William Cameron was an entrepreneur who found success in a variety
of industries, including lumber, grain, flour, wool and banking. A native of
Scotland, he arrived in New York City in 1852 at the age of 18, with less
than $20 in his pocket. At the time of his death in 1899, he had built up a
commercial empire worth an estimated $3 million.
William was a man who believed strongly in family and God. He
endeavored to treat his employees well and he loved the city of Waco, which
would serve to be his home for the last few decades of his life. His second
wife, Flora, also became one of the city's greatest benefactors. She believed
strongly in civic improvement, so the gift of the park was most likely a
natural thing for her to do.
Tell us about the famous “Dance Revue” that took place at Cameron
Park. Was it a regular occurrence or a special event?
The “Dance Revue” of 1915 was created by sisters Fay and Bird
Hoffman to celebrate Cameron Park's fifth anniversary. Allessandro's band,
(which played summer concerts in 1910), provided the music for eight
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dances performed by men, women and children from Waco. The dances
included the “Fox Trot,” “Fireflies,” “The Zephyr,” and a Spanish song “La
Gitana.”
The crowning moment of the performance occurred during the dance
“Narcissus.” A large birthday cake was brought onto the stage with five
candles burning. The cake opened up, and a five-year-old girl named Goldie
Lazarus, burst out to everyone's surprise. The following year's celebration
would be an even grander event, featuring 12 dance numbers organized by
the Hoffman sisters.
The Great Depression changed the United States in the early 1930s, and
Waco was not immune to economic woes. How did this affect Cameron
Park?
Activity in the park may have increased during this time. Money was
tight for most of the residents in Waco, but the park was always free. It
became a hotspot for local children, who always managed to make their own
fun. Activities included finding and repairing abandoned roller skates, or
pushing around an old tire. Others built and raced soap box cars down steep
hills. And of course, the cool waters offered a perfect place to get out of the
heat during the summer.
During this time, a miniature zoo was created overlooking Proctor
Springs. It was crudely-built, with chicken wire enclosing the animals. I
don't know where the animals came from, but the zoo boasted owls, rabbits,
peacocks, birds, swans and monkeys. Visitors also enjoyed seeing exotic
ducks who resided in a man-made pond.
I'm sure the zoo would probably be considered exploitative and
somewhat lacking in its treatment of the animals by today's standards, but I
don't think that was anyone's intent. During the Great Depression, people
were struggling for activities and entertainment to take their minds off their
troubles.
The 1930s saw the creation of the New Deal, which included the Works
Progress Administration, better known to most as the WPA, and the
Civilian Conservation Corps. Was Cameron Park a beneficiary of any
related projects?
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The walls at Lover's Leap were created by federal workers, although
it's not clear whether this was a WPA or CCC project. Other New Deal
projects in the park included the creation of trails, rock walls and drainage.
I don't know if this was funded by the New Deal or not, but there's an
interesting project from 1934 that's worth mentioning — the Kendall Rose
Garden. The garden was named for former park commissioner Ben Kendall,
and contained an impressive 1,400 rose bushes of 58 varieties. It was fed
with artesian water – pumped from a well over 3,000 feet away. Patterned
after the Rose Garden landscaping at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago, the
garden was in full bloom at Cameron Park's 24th anniversary in May 1934.
During World Wars I and II, many service men and women visited
Cameron Park from the nearby military bases. Isn't there an interesting
story about a particular serviceman who took photos of the park with
him to battle?
A medic named Ralston Cecil “Goober” Head grew up spending many
days in Cameron Park. When he shipped off to North Africa and Europe, he
was homesick. To help take her husband's mind off the atrocities he faced
overseas, his wife Marie Ellison Head took photographs of Cameron Park on
a snowy day. Before she sent the photos to him, she scribbled notes on the
back of each photo to remind him of his favorite childhood memories.
Apparently, he treasured those photos and they kept him going until he
returned back to Waco.
During the first half of the 20th century, Waco was a racially segregated
city. How did this affect Cameron Park?
When Cameron Park was dedicated, it was said to be for “the pleasure
of the people.” But in 1910, that really meant white people. African
Americans were barred from the park for the next five decades. And like a
lot of segregation at the time, it wasn’t always spoken allowed, it was just
understood. Unfortunately, it was a time when young black children had to
be warned by their parents to stay away, and older African Americans found
other places to congregate.
One story to share involves a young African American boy and
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longtime Waco resident named Noah Jackson Jr. During an oral history
interview, he spoke about how he ignored his parents' warning and would
periodically ride his bike into the park. His adventures usually ended with
him being told to leave by police officers or white park-goers.
On occasion, the mood turned violent. Jackson was riding his bike out
of the park with his younger sister balancing on the handle bars. A car drove
up behind the duo, and he was struck in the back with a blunt object causing
the bike to crash. He never found out the identity of his assailants.
That is terrible and, unfortunately, not the only incident of racially
motivated violence in this area. Did racial tensions in the park increase
during the Civil Rights era?
The interesting thing was that the racial policies in the park began to
switch in the 1960s. Whether it was the Civil Rights Movement, or the
“white flight” to the suburbs of Waco, fewer whites were frequenting the
park. After being denied access for more than 50 years, the African
American community began to use the park almost exclusively by the 1960s.
In the 1970s, the Hispanic community of Waco also started frequenting the
park.
Did any of the anti-Vietnam War sentiment emerge in the park during
that era?
Cameron Park also couldn't escape the drama of the Vietnam War. In
1969, a group of protesters held a “Work for Peace” rally outside of the
park's gates. On a different occasion, a professor from the University of
Texas planned to hold an anti-government rally inside the park. When it was
determined that the professor would not change the venue or his plans,
former city manager David F. Smith Jr. took matters into his own hands. The
day before the rally, Smith sprayed the entire area with skunk juice. The
smell was so bad, the professor and his group were forced to abandon the
rally.
With its natural cliffs, it would seem that Cameron Park would be a
great place for rock climbing. Isn't there a particular story about a
college student who nearly met his demise while trying to climb?
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I'm not sure what year it happened, but I found a story from the Waco
Tribune-Herald that detailed the experience of 19-year-old Thomas
Jagielski. He and three of his friends decided to climb Emmon's Cliff in
Cameron Park. Everything was going fine until halfway up, a ledge gave
way, and Jagielski found himself literally between a rock and hard place.
He didn't have the footings or hand holds to continue up, and there
was no easy way to go down, save falling on one of the climbing
companions below him. In the end, one of the climbers closest to the ground
was able to summon help from the police and fire department. Once
Jagielski made it back down to the ground — with the help of a rope from
firefighters atop of the cliff — he admitted that this was his first time rock
climbing. The firefighters encouraged him to rethink his future rock
climbing endeavors. If he should decide to climb again, they told him not to
wear cowboy boots.
Speaking of cliffs, isn't there another Native American legend attached
to Lover's Leap in Cameron Park?
The legend is similar to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. One of the
Wacoan Indian chiefs had a daughter named Wah-Wah-Tee who fell in love
with a member of the Apache tribe, one of the Wacoan's enemies.
Determined to be together, the two lovers tried to run off together, only to be
intercepted by her angry father and brothers. The tale ends with Wah-WahTee kissing her lover before the two of them jumped from a cliff at the east
end of the Bosque River and plummeted to their deaths. I don't know where
or when the legend first was told, but apparently it was included in several
historical sketches of Waco by a writer named Decca Lamar West.
If you owned a car in the 1960s, you may have taken part in the pleasure
driving at Cameron Park. Can you tell us what that would have been
like?
It's not exactly what it sounds like. Teenagers would take their cars
over to Cameron Park so they could run the “Seven Sisters,” which were
seven treacherous turns spanning from North Pecan Bottoms to Lover's
Leap. The path was dangerous, and to add to the lunacy, many drivers would
make the road slicker by adding motor oil to the roads. I'm sure there were
more than a few accidents.
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The Seven Sisters could also be enjoyed on a bicycle, as depicted in
the archives by the many African American children using the park in the
1960s. One of these children was legendary Baylor football player Walter
Abercrombie, who would ride his bike from his house on South Eighth
Street near Baylor. It was quite a ride from his house, but it was worth it
once he got to the top of the hill and was ready to ride down.
Abercrombie and his friends were a little smarter than their
automobile counterparts. A lookout was placed at the various blind spots,
and if the road was clear, the rider would take off for an incredible downhill
ride.
Waco is full of ghost stories and haunted places. Cameron Park is the
site of at least two suspected hauntings. Is the park really haunted?
There are two ghost stories that have been associated with the park for
decades. The first involves the Lindsey Hollow area. It was named for a
cattle thief who was supposedly captured, shot and buried in a shallow
grave. Legend tells that rain flooded the area and caused his body to come
out of the ground. Now, his restless spirit roams the park.
The second ghost story involves the Witch's Castle, an area said to reek of
the smell of dead bodies. Visitors have also reported hearing screams, gasps
and banging noises. But there is never an agreement on the actual location in
the park.
By the 1980s, Cameron Park was in reported to be in decline. The park
had developed a reputation of having a higher crime rate. What
happened to change that?
I think that the city and its residents decided to take control of the park
again, which was always the intent of the Cameron family. This movement
really began with the 75th anniversary of the park in 1985. City officials
began examining ways to revitalize the park, starting with better law
enforcement.
A park monitoring program of mounted, unarmed park rangers was
created. Riding horseback, they had much more thorough mobility through
the property than traditional police officers. They patrolled the park and
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issued citations for infractions. Most importantly, they served as goodwill
ambassadors for park visitors. People started to feel safe again in the park
because of the rangers' presence.
The park also underwent major improvements, including an 18-hole
disc golf course and improved and expanded trails. And in 1993, the
Cameron Park Zoo opening drew nearly 10,000 people. The excited crowd
was eager to see the zoo's 55 species and 125 specimens. The zoo continues
to attract Waco residents and out of town visitors alike, and has added
several habitats and exhibits along with expanding to 52 acres in the park.
Now, in 2009, the park has once again become a major outdoor
attraction for Central Texas city's residents. But today, it is open and enjoyed
by all members of the Waco community, regardless of race or heritage.
As Cameron Park approaches 100 years of service, what's on the
horizon for the next 100 years?
In May 2010, the city will be celebrating Cameron Park's centennial.
In fact, the celebration is scheduled to last a whole year. I'm sure more
details will emerge as the event draws closer.
To sum up Cameron Park, I'm going to turn to Baylor alumnus and
University of Texas graduate student Mark Firmin. His book, For the
Pleasure of the People: A Centennial History of William Cameron Park,
Waco, Texas will be published next spring to coincide with the 2010
centennial celebration. He writes:
In a deeper sense Cameron Park has served as a microcosm of Waco,
exhibiting a century-long cycle of development, decline and renewal.
Cameron Park serves as a refuge from the busy urban landscape. A
place where people can reconnect with nature and with one another,
Cameron Park provides exciting recreation as well as serenity and
relaxation. Cameron Park can be whatever Wacoans want it to be so
long as they are willing to preserve and improve it for future
generations.
Thank you for sharing the history of Cameron Park with us, Hans.
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Thank you, Mary. I enjoy being part of this project.
If you would like to learn more about Cameron Park, the Texas
Collection on the Baylor campus has the largest collection of Cameron
Park-related documents, books, photographs, and more. For more
information online, Google “The Texas Collection at Baylor University.”
Property of The Texas Collection at Baylor University
Final Edit: January 9, 2010
_________________________________________________
Hans Christianson, Writer
_________________________________________________
Dr. Mary Landon Darden, Executive Producer
_________________________________________________
Pattie Orr, Vice President of Information Technology and Dean of
University Libraries
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John Wilson, Associate Director of The Texas Collection
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Dr. Thomas L. Charlton, Director of The Texas Collection