Fairbanks Park has the beautiful Wabash River as its backdrop. Most of the land for the park was donated to Terre Haute in 1916 in memory of Henry Fairbanks by his two sons, Crawford and Edward. Henry Fairbanks was very influential to the city of Terre Haute, and he was serving as its mayor at the time of his death in 1978.
When you enter the park on Dresser Drive, Paul Dresser's home sits on the right. Dresser was the famous composer of "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away," which is our current state song. His home was moved to Fairbanks Park in 1963, and it is maintained by the Vigo County Historical Society.
Upon driving in further, a large archway can be also be seen on the right. Currently, there is a garden area under the archway. Before it became a garden, it was a huge oval shaped swimming pool (198 feet long and 128 feet wide) surrounded by a seven foot sandy beach in 1924. Once the swimming pool was taken out, Thomas Dubois, an Indiana State University graphic design student, designed a fountain in the area.
At the back of the park, the Chauncey Rose Memorial stands out in great contrast to the other structures. In 1887, it was the front of Terre Haute's first building that acted as a post office and federal building. It was moved to the park in 1936.
Other structures located at the park is the amphitheater, which is next to the Chauncey Rose Memorial. This is where concerts can be held. There is also the Blumberg Shelter and a gazebo that were donated to the park for the Annual Fairbanks Park Arts and Musical Festival.
As a prior resident of Vigo County, I have good memories of spending time at the park and watching the river. My future wife and I would meet at the park for lunch. I remember rock concerts at the park also.
ReplyDeleteRecently, a colleague was planning a family trip and wanted to know what he should see on his way through Indiana. I couldn't think of any famous sites. But after giving it some thought, Terre Haute and Vigo County have many wonderful sites that are open and available to those who look for them. My thanks to you for taking the time to notice them and draw attention to them.