History of Our Parks

Alpiner Park: Named in honor of Solomon Alpiner, cigar manufacturer; born in Austria; lived in Kankakee from 1856-1867; moved to Chicago to operate a store and factory; returned to Kankakee after Chicago fire in 1871; managed a store and small factory until his death.

Beckman Park: ( Formerly Electric Park, Formerly Waterman Park): Named in honor of Louis E. Beckman, former Mayor of Kankakee and state senator; the Beckman's were a prominent Kankakee family in the early 1900s; three Kankakee Mayors were Beckmans.

Cobb Park: (Formerly City Park, Formerly Riverview Park): Name in honor of Emory Cobb, wealthiest man in Kankakee for a long time, was a telegraph operator in 1947; worked up to high position in a few years; credited with inventing system of "wiring money"; instrumental in merging three companies to form Western Union; leading breeder of short horn cattle; President of American Short Horn Breeders' Association; "Quick to act in important matters, he yet rarely makes a mistake, and his opinion and advice are much valued" (Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and A History of Kankakee County, Volume II, 1906, republished in 1973).

Electric Park: (Formerly Waterman Park, Now Beckman Park): Named after the electric railroad system next to the park; after it shut down, the name was changed to Waterman Park on August 2, 1934; the park was Emory Cobb's business venture and included a roller coaster, open air theatre, dance pavilion an bathing beach.

Ehrich Park: Name origin unknown; either the park's name was changed or it no longer exists.

Goselin Park: Named in honor of World War II hero, Edward Goselin; many Goselin families throughout the years in Kankakee.

Governor Small Memorial Park: Named in honor of Illinois Governor Len Small

Hammes Park (Now Marycrest Park): Named after Romy Hammes, builder of the MaryCrest subdivision and shopping center; religious man; the term "MaryCrest" may be a reference to the Virgin Mary.

Heil & Heiland Road Parks: Named after Heil Estates, a planned community which included a park; not clear as to whether the estates were named after the developer or an early settler, Michael Heil from Ohio (originally from Germany); Michael was a supervisor of the building of Bourbonnais.

Jeffers Park: (Formerly South Side Park): Named in honor of the Jeffers family, Kankakee bankers in the 1900s; Edward Jeffers was born in Norton Township on July 20, 1869; he owned a grocery store in 1906; in 1905, he was a Kankakee postmaster; he was active in Republican Politic from 1899-on.

Kensington Park: Name origin unknown; there was a Kensington Heights (now LaGrange) and a Kensington area of Cook County, now part of Chicago

LaVassuer Park: Named in honor of the first white settler in Kankakee; married a native American woman; had three children by her; was a fur trader; divorced his wife because his trading had slumped because of prejudice against his wife.

MaryCrest Park (Formerly Hammes Park): Named after MaryCrest subdivision and shopping center.

McBroom Park: Named in honor of Victor and Vernon McBroom, who owned a cafe in Kankakee; Victor - sate senator, owned automobile agency; Vernon - President of Restaurateurs: Stanly McBroom was a park district commissioner from 1939 - 1963.

North Schulyer Park: Named in honor of Robert Schulyer, one of the owners of the Illinois Railroad; Civil War hero

Old Fair: Named after the old Kankakee fairgrounds

Pine Park: Named after the trees

Pioneer Park: Named in honor of Kankakee's pioneers (founders)

Potawatomi Park: Named in honor of the Potawatomis, the Native American tribe who settled in Kankakee; called "The People of Fire"; friends to white men; hunters; believed a beaver created Lake Superior; polytheistic; were moved to a reservation in Kansas.

Legion Park: (Formerly Swimming Pool Park): Named after the American Legion; purchased by the city in 1912; given to the park district in 1927; baseball was played there by American Legion members and others.

Pierson Park: Named after the street, Pierson Parkway; the street was named for William Poster Pierson, a pioneer to Illinois from New York; originally settled in the Onarga area and moved to Kankakee in the late 1800s.

Railroad Bridge Park: Named after the bridge.

River Road Park: Named after the road; the road is named after the Kankakee River.

Riverview Park: (Formerly City Park, Now Cobb Park): Named after the famed Hotel Riverview, a business venture of Emory Cobb; the hotel was built in 1847 and burned down 10 years later.

Skyline Park: Named after the road.

Snow Memorial Park: Named in honor of the Snows, a prominent Kankakee family who has been in Kankakee since 1847; the family donated the land in 1939; William snow immigrated to Kankakee from England; Barney Snow joined the 76th infantry during the Civil War in 1864.

South Eighth Park: Named after the street.

South Side Park: (Now Jeffers Park): Named after the side of town the park is on.

Strasma Park: Named in honor of Edward Strasma, developer of the Waldron Acres subdivision; he donated the land for the park; Strasmas' are longtime Kankakee Citizens.

Swimming Pool Park: (Now Legion Park): Named after the Olympic sized pool the park had; it was torn out in the 1980s.

Washington Park: Two theories - 1. Named in honor of George Washington or 2. named after Washington Washington Bourbonnais, the son of pioneer Antoine Bourbonnais.

Waterman Park: (Formerly Electric Park, Now Beckman Park): Named in honor of Frank D. waterman, the founder of Waterman Fountain Pen Company; he was a native of Altorrf; June 8, 1934 was Waterman Day in Kankakee; August 15, 1956, the park district president decided to rename the park in honor of Louis E. Beckman, former mayor of Kankakee and state senator.