The 223 Property

On April 5, 1832, James Harvey purchased the southwest corner of section 11 of Township 26N 03W from the United States Government.  This was the second purchase of land from the government in the township, William Holland's purchase southwest of the square being the first.  This land is now colloquially known as the "223 property."

By 1864, the property was owned by Andrew Cress, another early settler of Washington and father of George & Calvin Cress, both of whom served as mayors of Washington. There was a church on the property at that time, very close to the current intersection of Cruger and Wellington.

Maps from 1872 show the land still in the Cress family, the church still standing, with a farmhouse next door. 

In the early days, the land would have been considered prairie, but very near the forest edge to the west.  The "Holland's Grove" forest probably started farther west, about halfway between the property and the current-day Cummings Lane. 

Throughout the 20th century, the property became strictly farmland, and it became very boring.

In 2006, Panther Creek Development Group purchased the property in the hopes of a large 300-lot residential development.  The group encountered financial difficulties and foreclosed on the property in July 2008.  The property sat for several years.

On September 26, 2013, the Washington City Council held a special meeting to discuss the potential purchase of the land by the city.  It seems that one of the reasons for the purchase was to control the residential development of the city, which had been causing a burden on the schools:

"We're always hearing from residents that they want more retail, dining and commercial establishments in the city," said Mayor Gary Manier. "High traffic counts and easy access from all parts of the city make this property ideal for that.

"Unchecked residential growth and its impact on schools, infrastructure and city services must be balanced with the need for additional sales tax revenue, employment opportunities, leisure space and shopping choices." (Journal Star 3/23/2013)

At the September 26 meeting, the city council unanimously agreed to purchase the property from the Morton Community Bank for almost $5 million.  The unanimous vote was the five members of the city council who attended the meeting, enough for an approving vote.  Bob Brucks, Carol Moss, and Brian Butler did not attend the meeting, but there are no indications they felt any differently about the property.

"This plan isn't without risk," Manier would say in the same September 23 Journal Star article. 

Seven weeks later, an F4 tornado would pass within a half mile of the property and destroy 1,000 homes and businesses in Washington.  Any project around town was dead for several years while Washington rebuilt.

Outside of a lot of talk about "potential" uses for the site and some lending changes to help the city pay the exorbitant cost, nothing happened with the 223 property for years, other than the city contracting for farming to be done so they could earn a little bit back.

It was probably soon after the COVID shutdown in 2020 that the loose lips in the inner circles started talking about a gift that former Washingtonian Jim Hengst wanted to give to the city in honor of his late wife Dee.  The centerpiece of the gift would be an amphitheater.

These amphitheater discussions, although a very poorly kept secret in town, did not become official until a September 12, 2022, Committee of the Whole meeting, where it was brought to the city.  Below is the conceptual sketch shared at that early meeting.

After that meeting, almost three years of political theater followed.  People for the project tended to be supporters of Mayor Gary Manier, opposers tended to be the opposite.  By the time Lilija Stevens was sworn in as Mayor in the spring of 2025, the project was all but dead.  Jim Hengst and his people pulled their offer off the table in June 2025, and Washington was back to square one with the 223 property.