Palmer Park (Detroit)

For the historic district located in Detroit, Michigan, see Palmer Park Apartment Building Historic District.
Palmer Park
Palmer Park's Merrill Humane Fountain, July 2013
Map
LocationDetroit, Michigan
Coordinates42°25′35″N 83°07′05″W / 42.4263°N 83.1180°W / 42.4263; -83.1180
Area296-acre (120 ha)[1]
Created1895[2]
Operated byCity of Detroit
OpenAll year
StatusOpen

Palmer Park is a 296-acre (120 ha) public park next to Detroit, Michigan's Palmer Park Apartment Building Historic District. It is named for U.S. Senator Thomas Witherell Palmer, who initially created the park when he donated 140-acre (57 ha) for a city park in 1893[1] on the condition that the virgin forest be preserved.[3] A 2014 review of Library of Congress records confirmed the existence of a long forgotten sketch for part of Palmer Park by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. The park includes a historic log cabin, a public disc golf course, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails and a large pond known as Lake Frances.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Lacy, Eric (September 20, 2012). "Palmer Park competes for $50,000 prize to restore trails, historical markers on its 296 urban acres". MLive. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  2. ^ Burton, M. Agnes. Thomas W. Palmer. Michigan Historical Commission.
  3. ^ Gustafson, Sven (April 2013). "Detroit's 'Other' Jewel". Hour Detroit. Retrieved 2014-01-31.