Wilcox Park
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Location and History
Wilcox Park is a 14 acre park and arboretum located at 71 ½ High Street, Westerly, Rhode Island in the historic downtown. It is open to the public at all times, without fee. Originally Harriet Wilcox donated the first 7 acres in 1898 in memory of her husband Steven Wilcox. Stephen Wilcox was a local industrialist/inventor. The land for the library also loacted on this property was donated by Stephen Wilcox in 1892. In 1905 Wilcox Park acquired 7 more acres. In the 1960s this park was develeoped as an arboretum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and awarded a Centennial Medallion from the American Society of Landscape Architects. This park is currently owned and operated by the Westerly Public Library Board of Trustees.
Programmatic goals
Harriet WIlcox envisioned the area as a walking path to be enjoyed by the hard working citizens of Westerly and Pawcatuck. Warren Manning incorporated much of its existing flora into a scheme, creating an oasis in downtown Westerley for the original 7 acre park.
Designer/Design
The overall design of this park is a Victorian Era Picturesque Park. There are several monuments and memorials in the park, along with a fountain, pond and formal entrances. Warren H. Manning, a former associate of Fredrick Law Olmsted designed the first original seven acres. It was his first large project after leaving the Olmsted firm. It was designed to be used as a walking park for the downtown community. It has a central pathway, which meanders through the park, under canopies and across open fields, where many performance events happen through out the year. Frank Hamilton designed the addition of the other seven acreas. He added the 1/2 acre koi pond. In 1924 Arthur A. Shurcliff added the formal terrace, the balustrade in 1929 and WWI memorial in 1937. In the 1960s the park became an arboretum with a unique collection of native plantings and specimens. The Friends Perennial Garden was a gift from the Friends of the Library in 1980. In 2004, WIlcox Park was awarded $150,000 from the National Register of Historic Places to help restore the park.
Library
The original library located on this site had a bowling ally, gymnasium, art gallery, museum, and meeting space for the Grand Army of the Republic. It was opened August 15th 1894. In 1992 money was raised to double the size of the building.
Success/Failure
The key factor to the Wilcox Park success is the location. This park is located in the corner of Rode Island that is a favorite seaside vacation spot for over 100 years. It is the centerpiece of an economically revitalized downtown. Also contributing to its success is the variety of outdoor events and activites that can draw 25,000 people in one event. Many out of towners visit the park each year to see the Summer Pops by the Westerly Chorus and Shakespeare in the Park. Park safety is not an issue here. The police department is located three blocks away. One thing that can be seen as a success and a failure is that the park doesn't allow bikes, skates or skateboards.
Plant Materials
Plants found in the park are: Specimen trees, shrubs, display flower beds, dwarf conifer collection, a day lily collection and perennial boarders. The Perennial gardens are bordered by a boxwood hedge and feature hosta, sedum, salvia, lamb’s ears and silver mound. The showcase of the circular bed in the Woman's Urn is surrounded by germander and seafoam roses. The perennials are Lady's Mantle, Curly chivesa, Narrow Leaf Bluestar, Japanese Anenome,Silver Mound, Aster 'Purple Dome', False Blue Indigo, Clustered Bell Flower, Peachleaf Bell Flower- white and blue, Red Valerian, August Moon, Blue Cadet, and Undulata.
Socio/Cultural Issues
Census in 2000 there were 22,966, 95.1% White, 23.5% under the age of 18, 7% from 18-24, 29.7% 25-44, 22.7% 45-64, 17% 65+.
Median income per household-$44,613, family-$53,165. 6.7% of population are below the poverty line.
They have 5 elementary schools, Bradford, Dunns Corners, Springbrook, State Street, Tower Street, Westerly MS, and Westerly HS.
Annual Events: Garden Market Fair, May 18th 2008, Virtu Art Festival, May 24-24 2008, Summer Pops Concert, June 21 2008, Towns Band Concert, June 29 and August 6, Shakespeare in the Park, Holiday arrangement workshop, and Caroling.
Ecology/Geology
Pawtuck River Basin Water discharge records
ct.water.usgs.gov?annual.data/WY2000/01118500.200.sw.pdf
A recent survey of the minerals of the state of Rhode Island found at least sixty species of minerals from forty-five localities.
MINERALS FOUND: Actinolite, Fluorite, Octahedrite, Albite, Galena, Opal, Allanite, Garnet, Orthoclase, Ankerite, Glaucophane, Ottrelite, Anthophyllite, Gold2, Phlogopite, Apatite, Goethite, Pyrite, Aragonite, Graphite, Pyrolusite, Arfvedsonite, Hematite, Pyrrhotite, Augite, Hornblende, Quartz, Azurite, Hortonolite, Rhodochrosite, Barite, Ilmenite, Rhodonite, Beryl, Ilvaite, Riebeckite, Biotite, Jamesonite, Rutile, Boltonite, Knebelite, Scapolite, Bowenite, Limonite, Scolecite, Calcite, Magnetite, Serpentine, Chalcopyrite, Malachite, Siderite, Crocidolite, Melanterite, Sphalerite, Cryolite, Microcline, Talc, Cyanite, Muscovite, Titanite, Dolomite, Molybdenite, Tourmaline, Enstatite, Tremolite, Epidote, and Zoisite,
Planning and Land use laws/zoning
Here is a link for all of Westerly's Zoning and Building Laws. Also there is a link on that page to apply for a building permit.
http://westerly.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={84D3B8BB-37DF-46B9-9DB8-0E858D09CE4F}
Patterns of Land Use
Local Park Map
Downtown Business Map
http://www.downtownwesterlypawcatuck.com/downtown_westerly_ri_map.htm
Comparision Park
Island park in Fargo is a comparable park to Wilcox Park. They both are located in the historical downtown region of their city. They share the same meandering paths and canopied trees. They both have a theater, even though Wilcox is outdoor and Island is indoor. Like most parks, they both have open lawns and playground equipment. Both have heavy influnces in the picturesque movement due to the fact they both were designed around the same time and the many uplifting statues in each.
