Patton Park Detroit
Encyclopedia
Patton Park is a 93 acres (37.6 ha) park located on the southwest side of Detroit, Michigan
. The park, named for World War II
legendary US military leader General George S. Patton
, was dedicated in the early 1950s. Local landowner Jacques Bebe bequeathed the 93 acres (37.6 ha) tract of land to the City of Detroit for a park. The park retains a restrictive covenant that prohibits the City from tampering with the park, lest the park return to Bebe's descendants. (Restrictive covenants in City of Detroit parks have also been placed into the deeds at Eliza Howell Park and Rackham Golf Course
.)
-like doors that completely opened two exterior walls, allowing swimmers to use a raised outdoor patio that overlooked three sets of tennis
courts, a racquetball
court and a swimming/fishing pond.
Patton Park is also home to a sizable pond-marsh area, located directly southwest of the recreation center. The pond was a favorite swimming hole and fishing spot until the mid-1970s. The Patton Recreation Center once had a basement-level (step-down stairway) entrance to locker rooms to accommodate park-goers who utilized the pond area. The recreation center also had a rowing boat that once serviced the pond.
The Patton Pond was a natural outgrowth of the nearby springs, emanating from the area of Lonyo and Dix Streets. (The surrounding area was once named Springwells Township, after the preponderance of natural springs in the area.) Up until the early 1960s, the water flowed unabated as Bebe Creek through Patton Park, beneath Vernor, and along Woodmere Cemetery (Riverside Drive) in Dearborn. Bebe Creek (and not "Baby Creek", as the proper name was misconstrued by City of Detroit officials), was named after prior landowner Jacques Bebe. Bebe Creek flowed into the Woodmere Cemetery pond, before flowing out near the intersection of Riverside and Dearborn Avenues, out into the Rouge River, on Miller Road (north of Fort Street). Bebe Creek was impounded beneath Patton Park through a set of parallel tunnels in the early 1960s, as well as through Woodmere Cemetery.
, as a gesture of the Netherland’s thanks. In addition to America’s first indoor-outdoor swimming pool, the City of Detroit Recreation Department spared no expense in making, at the time, Patton Park a world-class recreational facility. This was not surprising, as Detroit was nationally known in its golden years as having one of the nation’s premier recreational departments.
Patton Park gained attention during the 1967 race riots, when a landing strip was hastily constructed to bring in National Guard supplies. A National Guard camp was also established at Patton Park, although no strife occurred in or around the surrounding area.
-Detroit border across Patton Park. A story has it that calls came in from Dearborn officials, concerned about fireworks in their city (a portion of Patton Park crosses into Dearborn, along Bebe Creek); reassurances by Patton Park staffers that the fireworks were “on the Detroit side”, satisfied the Dearborn officials.
Patton Park once contained two separate tennis court areas, three softball
diamonds (including a lighted diamond), and one hardball
diamond. The park also contained a permanent satellite restroom (located near the lighted softball diamond), four drinking fountains throughout the park, a stocked fishing pond, a small amphitheater, and two separate picnic
areas.
The recreation center, built and dedicated at the same time the park was inaugurated, once boasted an indoor stage-theater, located at the back of the gymnasium
. The second floor of the two story structure had a large community room where dances and social events were held. In the 1980s, until the Patton Recreation Center was renovated, the area housed a weight room. Another large room on the second level contained a hardwood floor, which was used for dances, dance instruction and community meetings. A small kitchen was located in a side room in this area. Two sets of seating areas were also located on the second level of the Patton Recreation Center, one for the gymnasium, the other for the swimming pool.
' Cadillac
Headquarters and Fleetwood and Fisher Guide assembly plants, the Patton Park neighborhood area experienced hardships from the early 1980s. This was most visibly pronounced in the greater Vernor-Springwells business district, where long-standing southwest Detroit institutions closed. Businesses such as Neisners, Jupiters, Paradise Candies, Rebert’s Bakery, Chimes Restaurant, Sheridan’s Sports, Vanity Fair, and Todt’s Pharmacy all folded due to the demise of General Motors’ local assembly plants. The ensuing exodus of long-time homeowners who had worked at the auto plants, along with a particularly hard-hitting recession in 1980-82 and the opening of nearby Fairlane Mall, all made shopping in the Vernor-Springwells area unnecessary.
In 2006, an effort was undertaken to create a paved, asphalt trail along the Dix Road side of Patton Park. The effort was years in the planning, and cost $9 million. The trail starts at the corner of Norman and Woodmere Streets (nearest the northern point of Patton Park and heads south along Dix Road to the park’s end at Dale St. The trail ends at Vernor Highway, nearest Riverside Drive (along Woodmere Cemetery). It has been further improved with three decorative park benches, garbage containers and numerous tree plantings throughout. Additional tree plantings have since been carried out along the trail by the Greening of Detroit conservancy group. A similar campaign was used for nearby Lapeer Park in Dearborn, complete with an extended trail, directional signs and landscaping. This trail has become an anchor for the Southwest Detroit Greenways Link, a series of bicycle paths/dedicated roadway lanes from Lapeer Park, Patton Park, through Vernor Highway, connecting to other networks of bike lanes in Detroit's Mexicantown and Corktown neighborhoods.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The park, named for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
legendary US military leader General George S. Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
, was dedicated in the early 1950s. Local landowner Jacques Bebe bequeathed the 93 acres (37.6 ha) tract of land to the City of Detroit for a park. The park retains a restrictive covenant that prohibits the City from tampering with the park, lest the park return to Bebe's descendants. (Restrictive covenants in City of Detroit parks have also been placed into the deeds at Eliza Howell Park and Rackham Golf Course
Rackham Golf Course
The Rackham Golf Course is a public golf course designed by Donald Ross located in Huntington Woods, Michigan. The grounds crew at Rackham maintains one, 18-hole course.-History:...
.)
Location and Patton Pond
Sitting within Patton Park is a Detroit Recreation Department recreation center, also bearing Patton’s name. The Patton Park Recreation Center once boasted America’s first indoor-outdoor swimming pool, due to its one time hangarHangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
-like doors that completely opened two exterior walls, allowing swimmers to use a raised outdoor patio that overlooked three sets of tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
courts, a racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
court and a swimming/fishing pond.
Patton Park is also home to a sizable pond-marsh area, located directly southwest of the recreation center. The pond was a favorite swimming hole and fishing spot until the mid-1970s. The Patton Recreation Center once had a basement-level (step-down stairway) entrance to locker rooms to accommodate park-goers who utilized the pond area. The recreation center also had a rowing boat that once serviced the pond.
The Patton Pond was a natural outgrowth of the nearby springs, emanating from the area of Lonyo and Dix Streets. (The surrounding area was once named Springwells Township, after the preponderance of natural springs in the area.) Up until the early 1960s, the water flowed unabated as Bebe Creek through Patton Park, beneath Vernor, and along Woodmere Cemetery (Riverside Drive) in Dearborn. Bebe Creek (and not "Baby Creek", as the proper name was misconstrued by City of Detroit officials), was named after prior landowner Jacques Bebe. Bebe Creek flowed into the Woodmere Cemetery pond, before flowing out near the intersection of Riverside and Dearborn Avenues, out into the Rouge River, on Miller Road (north of Fort Street). Bebe Creek was impounded beneath Patton Park through a set of parallel tunnels in the early 1960s, as well as through Woodmere Cemetery.
Opening and 1967 riots
The grand opening of the Patton Park Recreation Center was a spectacular affair, eight years after America’s victory in World War II. The grand opening was attended by Queen Natila of the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, as a gesture of the Netherland’s thanks. In addition to America’s first indoor-outdoor swimming pool, the City of Detroit Recreation Department spared no expense in making, at the time, Patton Park a world-class recreational facility. This was not surprising, as Detroit was nationally known in its golden years as having one of the nation’s premier recreational departments.
Patton Park gained attention during the 1967 race riots, when a landing strip was hastily constructed to bring in National Guard supplies. A National Guard camp was also established at Patton Park, although no strife occurred in or around the surrounding area.
Festivities, fireworks and facilities
The park was a focal point for Southwest Detroit celebrations throughout the seasons. The greatest of such was the post-festivities from the annual Southwest Detroit Fourth of July Parade, from Beard St. to Woodmere Ave., along a one mile stretch of Vernor Hwy. The day always contained numerous family barbecues, games and swimming at the park’s recreation center, culminating with a fireworks show above the Patton Park Pond. The fireworks display straddled the DearbornDearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
-Detroit border across Patton Park. A story has it that calls came in from Dearborn officials, concerned about fireworks in their city (a portion of Patton Park crosses into Dearborn, along Bebe Creek); reassurances by Patton Park staffers that the fireworks were “on the Detroit side”, satisfied the Dearborn officials.
Patton Park once contained two separate tennis court areas, three softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
diamonds (including a lighted diamond), and one hardball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
diamond. The park also contained a permanent satellite restroom (located near the lighted softball diamond), four drinking fountains throughout the park, a stocked fishing pond, a small amphitheater, and two separate picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
areas.
The recreation center, built and dedicated at the same time the park was inaugurated, once boasted an indoor stage-theater, located at the back of the gymnasium
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
. The second floor of the two story structure had a large community room where dances and social events were held. In the 1980s, until the Patton Recreation Center was renovated, the area housed a weight room. Another large room on the second level contained a hardwood floor, which was used for dances, dance instruction and community meetings. A small kitchen was located in a side room in this area. Two sets of seating areas were also located on the second level of the Patton Recreation Center, one for the gymnasium, the other for the swimming pool.
Renovation
The Patton Recreation Center underwent major renovation in 1978 that shut the recreation center for two years. During that time, the original gym floor was replaced, the stage-theater was demolished and sealed off, and the locker rooms were partially renovated. The recreation center underwent another renovation in 2002 that saw the closure of the recreation center for three years. The most recent renovation was a $10 million effort, paid for through Detroit’s Water & Sewerage Department (D.W.S.D.), through an agreement with Detroit’s Recreation Department, who agreed to give up a portion of Patton Park to D.W.S.D. for the construction of a combined sewer overflow retention facility, attached directly to the D.W.S.D.’s existing Woodmere Pumping Station, also located within Patton Park.Changes
The surrounding Patton Park neighborhood has changed and adjusted to the economic climate that has roiled the city of Detroit over the past five decades. Particularly hard hit with the closure of General MotorsGeneral Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
' Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
Headquarters and Fleetwood and Fisher Guide assembly plants, the Patton Park neighborhood area experienced hardships from the early 1980s. This was most visibly pronounced in the greater Vernor-Springwells business district, where long-standing southwest Detroit institutions closed. Businesses such as Neisners, Jupiters, Paradise Candies, Rebert’s Bakery, Chimes Restaurant, Sheridan’s Sports, Vanity Fair, and Todt’s Pharmacy all folded due to the demise of General Motors’ local assembly plants. The ensuing exodus of long-time homeowners who had worked at the auto plants, along with a particularly hard-hitting recession in 1980-82 and the opening of nearby Fairlane Mall, all made shopping in the Vernor-Springwells area unnecessary.
In 2006, an effort was undertaken to create a paved, asphalt trail along the Dix Road side of Patton Park. The effort was years in the planning, and cost $9 million. The trail starts at the corner of Norman and Woodmere Streets (nearest the northern point of Patton Park and heads south along Dix Road to the park’s end at Dale St. The trail ends at Vernor Highway, nearest Riverside Drive (along Woodmere Cemetery). It has been further improved with three decorative park benches, garbage containers and numerous tree plantings throughout. Additional tree plantings have since been carried out along the trail by the Greening of Detroit conservancy group. A similar campaign was used for nearby Lapeer Park in Dearborn, complete with an extended trail, directional signs and landscaping. This trail has become an anchor for the Southwest Detroit Greenways Link, a series of bicycle paths/dedicated roadway lanes from Lapeer Park, Patton Park, through Vernor Highway, connecting to other networks of bike lanes in Detroit's Mexicantown and Corktown neighborhoods.