Laura Bradley Park

Laura Bradley Park, also known as Bradley Park, is a park in Peoria, Illinois, United States.[1] It historically contained a wading pool for children and flower gardens.[2][3] As of 2022, it offers sports facilities, picnic sites, hiking opportunities on paved tracks, and a Japanese bridge.[1]

Laura Bradley Park
Bradley Park
Japanese Garden area in Laura Bradley Park, Peoria, Illinois, around 1920
Nearest cityPeoria, Illinois
Area100 acres (40 ha)
The Japanese bridge on a postcard from the 1930s/40s

The 100-acre (40 ha) park was given to the city of Peoria by Lydia Moss Bradley (1816-1908) in memory of her daughter Laura Bradley, who died in 1864 at the age of 14.[2]

Japanese Garden

A Japanese garden area was constructed by Peoria parks workers under the direction of Chicago Japanese garden builder T.R. Otsuka in Spring 1918, according to that year’s report[4] of the park district board of trustees: “After the general plan had been adopted by the board, Mr. T.R. Otsuka, a Japanese landscape artist, from Chicago, was engaged to supervise the laying out of the walks, placing of stones, and general planning. A Japanese temple, or tea house, was constructed on the highest elevation.”

In 2021, a wooden pedestrian bridge from the 1930s that spans Dry Run Creek was replaced with a concrete bridge for $1.3 million dollars.[5][6] The Japanese bridge also underwent renovations for $30,000.[5] The Peoria Park District reopened both bridges in April 2022.[6]

In 2020, the park district board voted to remove a controversial Christopher Columbus statue.[7][8][9] A statue of the Greek goddess Hebe had been erected at the Main Street entrance until it was damaged by a car in 1954.[8]

References
  1. "Bradley Park". Peoria Park District. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  2. "Her World Became Peoria". PeoriaMagazines.com. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
  3. "Bradley Park" (PDF). www2.illinois.gov.
  4. Peoria (Ill.). Board of Trustees of the Pleasure Driveway and Park District (1918). "Annual Report: Peoria (Ill.). Board of Trustees of the Pleasure Driveway and Park District 1918".
  5. Bullock, J. J. (2021-10-26). "New $1.3M bridge nearly finished in Bradley Park, with Japanese span also under renovation". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  6. Gaul, Alex (2022-04-05). "Ribbon cut on Laura Bradley Park bridges". 25 News Now. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  7. Dahlhoff, Tory (2020-09-24). "Columbus Statue Will Be Removed From Bradley Park". WCBU Peoria. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  8. Shelley, Tim (2023-05-25). "Peoria Park Board expresses hesitation with moving forward on replacing Columbus statue with a Greek goddess in Bradley Park". WCBU Peoria. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  9. Hawkins, Ellie (2020-10-09). "Christopher Columbus statue removed from Laura Bradley Park – The Bradley Scout". Retrieved 2023-10-02.

40°42′13″N 89°37′23″W


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