Community pride proved strong as approximately 100 people attended the Frances Wooden Park dedication ceremony on Saturday. Children laughed on the playground. Adults reminisced with friends. It was a sweet time, and not just because of the s’mores and donuts available to guests.
The park has undergone significant renovations thanks to an anonymous donor, the Montgomery County Community Foundation and the City of Crawfordsville. Park upgrades include new play equipment, concrete pathways, a fortified shelter, several benches and a name change. Improvements serve to acknowledge the site’s vital history and neighborhood volunteers.
Community leaders, including Mayor Todd Barton; Fawn Johnson, Director of Crawfordsville Parks and Recreation; Kelly Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Montgomery County Community Foundation; and Vicke Hudson-Swisher, Bethel AME historian, spoke to the crowd about the roots of the northside. In particular, each leader provided insight into the park’s namesake and gave recognition to the many hands that made this current project possible.
Location history
The park is situated on the original site of the John Speed Cabin. Speed was a stonemason from Scotland who immigrated to the United States and found his way to Crawfordsville. Speed was a strong abolitionist. He used his home as a stop on the Underground Railroad as enslaved people made their way toward free Canada. Following the end of the Civil War, Speed served as the Mayor of Crawfordsville from 1868 to 1869.
The park location is also next to the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The church was built here in 1892. It was built around architectural details from the original building constructed in 1847 and now demolished. The Bethel AME Church grew a strong congregation throughout Crawfordsville’s history and helped facilitate the activities of the Underground Railroad.
Progress near the turn of the century saw a Neighborhood Chapel develop at this spot. The Neighborhood Chapel was a mission for youth and families in the north end of Crawfordsville. The building changed hands many times between area congregations and was eventually turned over to the city.
The city established the Northside Recreation Center. The park’s namesake, Frances Wooden, served many years as a director for the recreation area. Her influence and ingenuity at the center were testaments to her character.
Frances Wooden
Frances Wooden grew up in a hardworking family that emphasized structure and biblical principles. Polio claimed the full use of her right leg at an early age, but she was determined not to let that slow her down.
She was a student at the Lincoln School for Colored Children and a graduating member of the integrated Crawfordsville High School Class of 1935. Scripture and music were her two greatest joys. In school, she belonged to the Sunshine Society and the choir.
Wooden dreamed of attending Purdue University and earning a degree in dietetics. However, she chose to stay in town and devote her life to community service. She worked for Tuttle Elementary School, the YMCA, and the Northside Rec Center, to name a few. She had a deep passion for working with children and young mothers. Her retirement in 1982 was hallmarked by more than 35 years of service to young people.
Wooden’s virtuous deeds did not go unnoticed. She received honors from both Mayor Glenn Knecht and Governor Robert Orr. The best of her impact is/was visible in the lives of the people she shaped. Today, her legacy lives on through the Frances Wooden Park despite her death in 1987.
Today
The revamp of the park is remarkable. Thoughtful, careful planning went into every detail. For example, sturdy benches highlight significant moments in history, such as 1847, Congress passes the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery in the United States. Visitors have a place to learn and reflect on those moments.
Several picnic tables and a grill are part of the new shelter. The shelter provides a place for families and friends to gather for fellowship and fun.
Distinctive features give recognition to the memory of Wooden. First, her love of song shines in the oversized musical instruments designed as playground equipment. Learning centers serve as teaching tools for children. Wide concrete pathways are ADA-accessible, providing easy routes for all to enter the park. These are all details that exemplify Wooden’s life.
