Baker Memorial Park

This park, established in the 1920s, is named in honor of Edward J. Baker, St. Charles' great philanthropist who died in 1959. Baker built many buildings that both beautify and serve the community.

During the earliest days of the settlement, this area was part of Evan Shelby's claim. Shelby was the first white settler to come to the area in 1833, and he built a cabin near Baker Memorial Park. Bela T. Hunt bought the land that comprises this park from Shelby just before Shelby died in 1837.

In 1838, John Penny acquired the property and established a brickyard at the north end of what is now known as Baker Memorial Park. Area homes, including the Dunham-Hunt House on Cedar Avenue, were built of bricks from Penny Brickyard. Construction crews found old bricks and kilns in the Baker Memorial Park area while working on street improvements in the late 1950s.

James and Van Rockwell, I.G. Langum, Ira Minard, Effie Hunt and Harriet Richmond purchased the land and donated it to the City of St. Charles as a public park. On Col. Edward J. Baker's 89th birthday, September 1957, the park was dedicated in Baker's honor as Baker Memorial Park. Col. Baker, Illinois Governor, William Stratton, and local dignitaries all addressed the crowd assembled for the ceremony, and the St. Charles High School band provided music for the event.

Sources

• Clauter, Hazel. Our Community--St. Charles. 1967.

• Davis, Alice. Settlement and Growth of St. Charles (Reprinted 2003) pp. 4,6, 7,8, 11.

• "Gov. Stratton Here for Park Dedication ." St. Charles Chronicle 25 Sept. 1957: 1

• "Large Throng Views Park Dedication." St. Charles Chronicle 2 Oct. 1957: 1