|
A pack trail used by miners in the
1850s once crossed the 33 acres that now comprise Azalea Park, the
City's "crown jewel." Eventually the trail became an important segment of the coastal wagon route that
ran from California to the Umpqua and Willamette River valleys of Oregon.
The
magnificent native Azaleas that still stand in the park, were already
here when Lewis and Clark wintered in Oregon, back in 1805-06. But
the remarkable beauty of the flowering shrubs were not truly appreciated until 1937,
when, though overgrown with berry vines and used as a mule pasture, a group of
motivated citizens petitioned to have the area
designated as a State Park. That
designation was received in 1939, and the first Azalea Festival was
born.
Unfortunately, over the ensuing
years, the park received minimal attention and once more reverted to
its "natural" state, overgrown with invasive berry vines and underbrush. Considering
the maintenance of the park a burden, the State of Oregon finally turned it over to
the City of Brookings in 1993.
Realizing that the park,
with its five varieties of endangered native
Azaleas, had the potential to become one of the most unique and
beautiful places in Oregon, a
group of dedicated local citizens, most of them seniors, began the work
of clearing away years of accumulated debris and underbrush, freeing the
azaleas from the stranglehold of encroaching vines and brush. This grassroots effort
led to the formation of the
Azalea
Park Foundation, its goal to raise funds for the creation of a three acre garden for the benefit of the community and the
area's many
visitors.
Labor and equipment, volunteered by local
residents and business, were used to complete the original project which
included an
expansive lawn and sprinkler system, wide safety sidewalks and a patio
area with vandal-proof benches. These improvements still exist to
provide a safe and serene area where everyone, from tikes and toddlers
to teenagers, the elderly and the handicapped, can enjoy the park's many
amenities. The
garden is filled with the year-round color generated from over 400 rhododendrons,
bulbs, annuals, shrubs, and ornamental trees.
Since that time, Azalea Park has become the
premier Brookings gathering place for rest and relaxation,
picnics, weddings, birthday parties, reunions, civic affairs, and
concerts, including the annual, and increasingly popular, American Music Festival Free Summer Concert
Series. The Music Festival is held at the site of the park's
covered band shell, another "labor of love" made possible with the
support of the City's many volunteers.
In 2009, the City was gifted the Capella By
The Sea by Elmo Williams. A beautiful wood and stone structure
constructed near the North Bank Chetco River Road entrance, The Capella
By The Sea provides the perfect spot for quiet contemplation and small,
intimate gatherings such as weddings, christenings, and small
ceremonies.
In December, the park hosts the
Nature's Coastal Holiday,
a fantasy of lights and music that packs the park throughout the month,
once again, thanks to the efforts of local volunteers and the support of
the areas businesses and residents.
Today
Azalea Park is maintained through the combined efforts of the City's Public Works
Department and the tremendous efforts of the Azalea Park Foundation and
other community members who volunteer their time and contribute their
hard earned dollars to provide a wonderful "Welcome" to everyone
entering the Brookings-Harbor area, the Gateway to the Southern Oregon
Coast.
Please contact 541-469-1103 if
you would like to reserve Azalea Park, or any of our parks, for your
special occasion.
|
