Hampton Park (Charleston, SC)
Encyclopedia
Hampton Park is a public park located in peninsular Charleston, South Carolina
. At 60 acres (242,811.6 m²), it is the largest park on the peninsula. It is bordered by The Citadel
to the west, Hampton Park Terrace
to the south, North Central to the east, and Wagener Terrace to the north.
marched around the site. The graves were decorated, speeches were offered, and celebrants enjoyed picnics in the area. This has been cited as the first Memorial Day
celebration. By 1871, the cemetery was suffering neglect, and the soldiers were reinterred at the Beaufort
and Florence National Cemeteries
.
After the Civil War, the Jockey Club was unable to resume the popular racing season, and the land was leased for farming. In 1899, the Charleston Jockey Club disbanded, and its assets were given to the Charleston Library Society
in 1900. The remnants of the racing structures were removed, but August Belmont
was given the gates to the course which he had installed at Belmont Park
in New York.
of 1901–1902 was held on a large tract of land, including the former race course. The exposition opened on December 1, 1901, and attracted 674,086 attendees during its run. On April 9, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt
attended the exposition. Nevertheless, the trade exposition was a financial failure, and it closed on May 31, 1902.
who, after the Civil War, had become governor of South Carolina. The bandstand from the trade exposition, once located in the center of the park, was saved and moved to its present location at the east edge of the park at the foot of Cleveland St. In addition, the building at 30 Mary Murray Blvd., which is currently used as the city's Parks Department offices, was retained from the exposition, where it served as a tea house.
The city retained the services of Olmsted, Olmsted & Elliott, a landscaping firm from Boston. John Charles Olmsted
, the adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted
, designed a plan for a park following his first visit to Charleston in 1906. At least part of his plans for long parkways along the Ashley River were disrupted when the city sold the approximately 200 acre (0.809372 km²) along the Ashley River, the Rhett Farm tract, to the Citadel for the relocation and expansion of its campus.
During the mid-20th century, the park included a zoo. It was opened in 1932, and an aviary was added about six years later. By the mid-1960s, the zoo had become run-down. The zoo closed in 1975, and its contents were largely transferred to Charles Towne Landing
, a new state park.
The city began a redevelopment of the park starting in the early 1980s. Following several years of decline in the park's condition, the city refocused landscaping efforts on the park, reduced crime, and installed a small snack stand designed by Sandy Logan. Today, the park is popular with walkers, joggers, and cyclists who use the one-mile (1.6 km) perimeter road for exercise. In previous years, the park was the location for the finale of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and in present day remains the site for the MOJA Festival in addition to many weddings and other special events.
(Note: The Finale of the Spoleto Festival USA has been moved to Middleton Place, a nearby historical plantation.)
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. At 60 acres (242,811.6 m²), it is the largest park on the peninsula. It is bordered by The Citadel
The Citadel (military college)
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, also known simply as The Citadel, is a state-supported, comprehensive college located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It is one of the six senior military colleges in the United States...
to the west, Hampton Park Terrace
Hampton Park Terrace
Hampton Park Terrace is a neighborhood located in peninsular Charleston, South Carolina. The neighborhood is bounded on the west by the Citadel, on the north by Hampton Park, on the east by Rutledge Ave., and on the south by Congress St. In addition, the one block of Parkwood Ave. south of...
to the south, North Central to the east, and Wagener Terrace to the north.
Colonial Era
The land constituting current-day Hampton Park was, by 1769, part of a plantation owned by John Gibbes and known as The Grove or Orange Grove Plantation.Race Course
In 1835, part of Gibbes' plantation was acquired by the South Carolina Jockey Club, a group that developed the Washington Race Course on the site. An annual horse race in February attracted thousands of spectators who could watch the races from an Italianate grandstand designed by Charles F. Reichardt. Today, Mary Murray Drive is a one-mile (1.6 km) parkway that circles Hampton Park in almost the exact location of the race track.Union Cemetery
During the closing days of the Civil War, the area was used as a prisoner-of-war camp. More than two hundred Union soldiers died in the camp and were buried in a mass grave at the site. Almost immediately after the hostilities, the bodies were exhumed and properly reburied. By late April 1865, a white picket fence on which was written "The Martyrs of the Race Course" had been erected. On May 1, 1865, thousands of people, mainly newly freed blacks, processed to the site, and members of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was one of the first official black units in the United States during the Civil War...
marched around the site. The graves were decorated, speeches were offered, and celebrants enjoyed picnics in the area. This has been cited as the first Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
celebration. By 1871, the cemetery was suffering neglect, and the soldiers were reinterred at the Beaufort
Beaufort National Cemetery
Beaufort National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Beaufort County, in the city of Beaufort, South Carolina. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 18,511 interments.- History :...
and Florence National Cemeteries
Florence National Cemetery
Florence National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Florence, South Carolina. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 8,853 interments.-History:...
.
After the Civil War, the Jockey Club was unable to resume the popular racing season, and the land was leased for farming. In 1899, the Charleston Jockey Club disbanded, and its assets were given to the Charleston Library Society
Charleston Library Society
thumb|The Library Society's first permanent address, which it occupied from 1792 to 1835, was within what is now the Charleston County Courthouse at 82 Broad St.thumb|The Library Society was located at 50 Broad St. from 1835 to 1914....
in 1900. The remnants of the racing structures were removed, but August Belmont
August Belmont
August Belmont, Sr. was an American politician.-Early life:August Belmont was born in Alzey, Hesse, on December 8, 1813--some sources say 1816--to Simon and Frederika Elsass Schönberg, a Jewish family. After his mother's death, when he was seven, he lived with his uncle and grandmother in Frankfurt...
was given the gates to the course which he had installed at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
in New York.
Trade Exposition
At the turn of the century, Charleston hosted a regional trade exposition. The South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian ExpositionSouth Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition
The South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition, commonly called the Charleston Exposition or the West Indian Exposition, was a regional trade exposition held in Charleston, South Carolina from December 1, 1901 to June 20, 1902....
of 1901–1902 was held on a large tract of land, including the former race course. The exposition opened on December 1, 1901, and attracted 674,086 attendees during its run. On April 9, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
attended the exposition. Nevertheless, the trade exposition was a financial failure, and it closed on May 31, 1902.
Park
The city of Charleston acquired a part of the exposition land for a park. The park was named in honor of Confederate General Wade Hampton IIIWade Hampton III
Wade Hampton III was a Confederate cavalry leader during the American Civil War and afterward a politician from South Carolina, serving as its 77th Governor and as a U.S...
who, after the Civil War, had become governor of South Carolina. The bandstand from the trade exposition, once located in the center of the park, was saved and moved to its present location at the east edge of the park at the foot of Cleveland St. In addition, the building at 30 Mary Murray Blvd., which is currently used as the city's Parks Department offices, was retained from the exposition, where it served as a tea house.
The city retained the services of Olmsted, Olmsted & Elliott, a landscaping firm from Boston. John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted , the nephew and adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted, was an American landscape architect. With his brother, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., he founded Olmsted Brothers, a landscape design firm in Brookline, Massachusetts. The firm is famous for designing many urban parks,...
, the adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, designed a plan for a park following his first visit to Charleston in 1906. At least part of his plans for long parkways along the Ashley River were disrupted when the city sold the approximately 200 acre (0.809372 km²) along the Ashley River, the Rhett Farm tract, to the Citadel for the relocation and expansion of its campus.
During the mid-20th century, the park included a zoo. It was opened in 1932, and an aviary was added about six years later. By the mid-1960s, the zoo had become run-down. The zoo closed in 1975, and its contents were largely transferred to Charles Towne Landing
Charles Towne Landing
Charles Towne Landing is a park at the original site of the first permanent English settlement in South Carolina. Originally opened in 1970 to commemorate Charleston, South Carolina's tricentennial, this state park showcases animals indigenous to the state in 1670, with exhibits designed by...
, a new state park.
The city began a redevelopment of the park starting in the early 1980s. Following several years of decline in the park's condition, the city refocused landscaping efforts on the park, reduced crime, and installed a small snack stand designed by Sandy Logan. Today, the park is popular with walkers, joggers, and cyclists who use the one-mile (1.6 km) perimeter road for exercise. In previous years, the park was the location for the finale of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and in present day remains the site for the MOJA Festival in addition to many weddings and other special events.
(Note: The Finale of the Spoleto Festival USA has been moved to Middleton Place, a nearby historical plantation.)