Merriam Park

President Ulysses S. Grant dedicated Merriam Park on this site on July 1, 1880. Built by the Ft. Scott & Gulf Railroad and designed by landscape architect George Kessler, the park covered 40 acres from Shawnee Mission Parkway to 65th Street and from Grandview to the railroad tracks. Visited by thousands, it featured a zoo with bear pits, a lagoon used for summer sailboating and winter ice-skating, and a horse-drawn carousel. Visitors also enjoyed tennis, croquet, baseball, and square dancing. George Kessler realized a personal dream there by bringing to the park a tree from every country in the world. Stepping off the train platform, visitors were greeted by band concerts and by the vision of “MERRIAM” spelled out in flowers.

Merriam, Kansas · United States