Kindleberger Park Self-Guided History Tour

Learn about the history of Parchment's Kindleberger Park.

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Kindleberger Park Self-Guided History Tour

Parchment, Michigan 49004, United States

Created By: Parchment Community Library

Tour Information

This self-guided walking tour gives a location-based history of Kindleberger Park from its beginnings in 1930 when Jacob Kindleberger, head of the Kalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Company (KVP), and his wife Lucinda donated the land for the park. This tour was written by Cheryl Lyon-Jenness, who also narrates the audio portions of the tour. Please begin at the southwest corner of the Parchment Community Library. To see all the photos, you may need to slide at the bottom of the photos instead of the middle.


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What You'll See on the Tour

In 1930 Jacob Kindleberger, head of the Kalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Company (KVP), and his wife Lucinda gave 38 acres to the newly-formed village of Parchment to be used as "recreational fields."  Where the library stands today was a pla... Read more
The State Historic Marker emphasizes that Kindleberger Park was part of a much larger vision for KVP and the village of Parchment.  Mr. Kindleberger was determined that both the company and the village would be "models for the world."  Ki... Read more
The tennis court area was just one of many recreational opportunities available to Parchment residents in their new park!  Shuffleboard and horseshoe areas, miles of walkways, sliding hills, a toboggan run, an ice-skating rink, and ball di... Read more
Beginning in 1916, KVP fielded baseball teams in both the industrial and city leagues.  Competition was fierce, and at game time thousands of fans cheered on the home team from bleachers on the north side of the field.  Mr. Kindleberger w... Read more
The entire Parchment community played a part in Kindleberger Park's rapid development.  KVP provided funds and labor, employing nearly 400 people during the depression years on various community building projects including the park.  At t... Read more
The Kindleberger Stage area is a good place to think about the continued development of the park and its many amenities.  The valley picnic shelters in the northeast corner of the park were added in 1935.  The water tower was installed in... Read more
Led by former KVP baseball star Fritz Black, the Parchment Little League began in 1955 and quickly drew in many participants.  In the 1990s, a dedicated group of volunteers spearheaded a successful campaign to redesign both baseball and so... Read more
In 1989, this oddly-shaped rock or chair was dedicated to Zen Campbell in honor of her work as the founder and long-time director of the Kindleberger Festival.  Long known to local residents as a wishing chair, the Director's Chair was als... Read more
Take a few minutes to sit and enjoy the beauty of the sunken garden!  Originally much larger, the garden was designed by Battle Creek landscape architect T. Clifton Shephard and was filled with an array of ornamental trees, shrubs, roses, ... Read more

 

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