Laid out in 1836, the Public Square was the original center of Monmouth, with the city limits extending outward one-half mile in each direction. Before the square was graded and sidewalks laid in 1862, prairie grass often grew so tall that one could not see from one side to the other. The circle in the middle of the Public Square was created in 1881 in a effort to deal with the growing problem of horse traffic congestion and mud. An iron rail, for hitching horses, originally surrounded the park. In 1892, the street around the park was paved in brick and the following year, trees were planted.