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Garfield Park collection

 Collection
Identifier: L720

Scope and Contents

This collection includes papers and documents related to Garfield Park dated from 1920 to 2012 with most of the materials dated between 1995 to 1999. The papers cover a wide range of topics including the project to restore the Sunken Garden, the general history of the park and their operations, the Friends of Garfield Park papers and miscellaneous other groups that are related to Garfield Park. Paper types include correspondence, fliers, publications, committee papers, meeting minutes and other documents. There are a number of managerial materials that get added via the additions of a couple of board members including some of the early thoughts surrounding improving accesability of the parks as well as plenty of materials about the arts and local events that took place in Garfield Park and the surrounding areas. The picture series has plenty of range and shows a good amount of the events that took place in Garfield Park from the 1960s to 1990s.

Dates

  • 1920-2012

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Administrative History

Garfield Park and Conservatory is the oldest public park in the Indianapolis park system with its main entrance located at 2450 Shelby Street. It was named after President Garfield in 1881 after he was assassinated. Today, the park is 128 acres and offers picnic areas, athletic facilities, a playground, a pool, community center, a greenhouse and a conservatory. The Sunken Garden is a specially landscaped, formal garden to attract visitors. It is a popular wedding site.

Source: Bodenhamer and Barrows, “The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis”, 1994

Some of the members of the Board of Garfield Park were also heavily associated in the Indianapolis artistic community and there are a number of events associated with the arts that became associated with the colleciton. There is also an interesting string of managerial materials that can show the move towards inclusiveness and accessability for varying types of groups within the Parks and Recreation Department.

Extent

12.66 Cubic Feet (5 manuscript boxes, 10 cubic foot boxes, 1 oversized folder)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series:

Series 1: Garfield Park history, 1920-1999

Series 2: Garfield Park operations, 1996-1999

Series 3: Friends of Garfield Park, 1986-2000

Series 4: Other groups, 1983-1998

Series 5: Sunken Garden restoration, 1995-1995

Series 6: Subject files, 1995-2012

Series 7: Photographs and Negatives, 1910-2000

Series 8: Art and Posters, 1956-2008

Series 9: Arts Council and Arts Access 1970-1999







Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Janice Lesniak and from the kindness of John Hornberger on 2018/09/06.

Accruals

Further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2018/09/21 by Abby Currier. EAD finding aid created 2018/09/21 by Abby Currier. Later accessions processed and completed 2023/05/04 by A.J. Chrapliwy.
Title
Garfield Park collection
Status
Under Revision
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671