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Laura Bradley Park

Coordinates: 40°42′13″N 89°37′23″W / 40.7036394°N 89.6230745°W / 40.7036394; -89.6230745
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Laura Bradley Park
Bradley Park
Japanese Garden area in Laura Bradley Park, Peoria, Illinois, around 1920
Map
Nearest cityPeoria, Illinois
Area100 acres (40 ha)
The Japanese bridge on a postcard from the 1930s/40s

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]

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

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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

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  1. ^ a b "Bradley Park". Peoria Park District. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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 / 40.7036394°N 89.6230745°W / 40.7036394; -89.6230745