Constructed on the east side of Trail Creek, Washington Park has been Michigan City's dominant playground for more than 100 years. Its lakeside setting includes the Michigan City Lighthouse and Pier built in 1858/1904. First established as a park in 1891, it gained improvements such as the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument dedicated in 1896 and a bandstand, which endeared it to city residents and tourists visiting the area's dunes and beaches. Later improvements were made under New Deal-era programs such as the Works Progress Administration during the 1930s, including the Art Deco-style Washington Bicentennial Bridge and Naval Armory built in 1932 and 1939, as well as a number of stone benches, walls, and gardens. The Washington Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.