Des Moines Park Named to National Register
The National Register of Historic Places has added Des Moines Beach Park in Des Moines to its list of lands, historic buildings, historic vessels, and other resources that have played an important role in the development of King County. The City of Des Moines plans to spend more than $2.6 million to upgrade the park to national standards and create a beachfront destination that serves local residents and attracts visitors from all over the region. A 4Culture grant will contribute to the project.
The 18-acre park just north of the Des Moines Marina is known locally as "the birthplace of Des Moines," a community of 29,000 between Seattle and Tacoma on Puget Sound. Long used by local native tribes, the site was claimed by a homesteader named John Moore in 1872. A sawmill operated near the mouth of a creek on the land in the 1880s. In 1931, the land was sold to the Evangelical Covenant Church, which built the Covenant Beach Bible Camp. Now a city park and historic district designated as a King County Landmark, the grounds and the historic buildings are used today for community activities, such as weddings, community picnics, and classes.
Seven of the original camp structures still stand, including the Dining Hall, built in 1934, and a picnic shelter, constructed in the 1920s. All the structures are threatened by age, earthquakes, and flooding from the nearby creek. However, the city has embarked on an ambitious five-year restoration and protection program. In 2005, 4Culture awarded a $12,850 Heritage Cultural Facilities Program grant to assist with design, engineering and permitting. The federal government has also awarded $200,000 to the city for restoration.
On April 14, 2006, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire spoke at an official celebration of the park's addition to the National Register. Des Moines City Council Member Susan White says the park is key to Des Moines' future as a tourism destination. "The park brings the community together, not just Des Moines, but all of King County," she says.
For more information on Des Moines Beach Park, contact Patrice Thorell, City of Des Moines Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Director, 206-870-6529, pthorell@desmoineswa.gov.
related links
|
