Esther Short Park
6th and Columbia
Vancouver, WA
Submitted by: Ginger Metcalf
A City park with a community square.
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Why It Works
Four square blocks in the center of downtown Vancouver USA, bequeathed by pioneer Esther Short to the City of Vancouver in 1862 (upon her death). The "park" fell in and out of disrepair until the late 1990's when the City reclaimed it (from predominantly transient users) for its citizens. Public and private funds have created a "heart" for our City which includes a water feature, children’s playground, rose garden, bell tower, pavilion, thousands of flowers; the focal point of downtown Vancouver USA.
What Makes Esther Short Park a Great Place?
Downtown residential and commercial construction, a farmers' market and hotel/convention center were planned around the park - with the park being the focal point. Public parking abounds, community events hosting thousands of residents and visitors alike take place within the park, users can walk, skip, bike, drive or ride public transportation to the park.
There are no vehicles within the park, only citizens and an occasional pet dog (on leash) enjoying every aspect of the park. Whether your choice of "seating" is the green green grass or park bench, both are in abundance. The City maintains the park and square so that it is always in pristine condition. While the presence of "security" is sporadic, it is an inviting place where everyone wants to gather or just stroll through. Having "lifted" the tree branches (from dragging on the ground) and removed shrubs (convenient for providing shelter to transients) has transformed a formerly intimidating and scary atmosphere into space that says, "Come in and enjoy."
There is something for everyone - from the children’s playground to sculpture, from roses to sniff to Indian folklore of the Chinook salmon to listen to as it spills out of the glockenspiel in the bell tower. Concerts in the park predominate in the summer months - during the lunch hour for downtown workers and evening concerts for families to enjoy.
Social tenor is one of conviviality. It's nearly impossible to be grumpy in this park. There is too much to make one feel good.
General mixed use. Pride!?!?!? Locals beam when referring to Esther Short Park. More locals than visitors/tourists use the park, but that will change as others learn about the area.
History & Background
The information provided above is pretty brief. There is SO much that went into this park to make it what it is today. If you need a more complete story, I would be happy to provide one. AND, I would be completely surprised if a nomination has not taken place previous to this one.
Contact Info:
parksrec@ci.vancouver.wa.us
Southwest Washington Visitor’s Bureau: 360-750-1553
Slocum House, 605 Esther Street, Vancouver
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History & Significance
Esther Short Park is located in downtown Vancouver Washington between Esther and Columbia Streets and 6th and 8th Streets. It was platted and dedicated as a public square in 1855. It is the oldest park in the state of Washington and is considered to be the oldest designated city park in the West. The park is named after Esther Short an early pioneer who arrived in the Oregon Territory with her husband Amos in December of 1845. Esther and Amos both originally of Tioga County, Pennsylvania settled in Vancouver in 1847. Esther Short, who was one-half Algonquin Indian survived her husband and platted their land following his death. In 1855 she dedicated the four-square block, 5.4 acre site as a public square for perpetuity. Its first recorded activity was the 1868 Clark County Fair. The park was officially named Esther Short Park between 1910 and 1920. In the following years the park was actively used for festivities, celebrations, parades and town gatherings.
Though probably logged of its original trees, the park has retained a substantial stand of second growth Douglas fir in the northern half of the site. The southern portion has been planted with several specimen deciduous trees as well as many annual and perennial bulbs and plant materials that give the park an arboretum like landscape.
Park components that have proved most enduring are the bronze Mother Pioneer statue depicting a pioneer mother and her children, in tribute to Esther Short, donated in 1928. Also an iron spray drinking fountain intended as a gift for the children who visited the park donated in the early 1900s. In the late 1990s both were relocated within the park as part of the parks earlier renovation. Of the two original brick rest rooms, one remains, though has been renovated and retrofitted to function as the pump house for the interactive water feature. Additionally, the Slocum house, originally built and located across the street to the south of the park was relocated into the park in 1966 to prevent demolition. The house was restored and placed on the National Register for Historic Buildings in 1973. These elements are important not only for their historic significance, but also the fact that they represent and define the parks aesthetic. They continue today to ground the park in its history and provide a vision for future planning and development efforts.
Perhaps equally important to mention are the elements that used to reside in the park but have since been removed. During the parks early days park facilities (now removed) included: a wading pool, a rock fountain for horses to water, a tool house, mill stones, a roller rink and a bandstand. In September of 1957, historic steam locomotive No. 539 built in 1917 was located for display and preservation in the park where it remained until the late 1990s. A wood carving of an Indian head was constructed in the park and donated to the city in the 1970s. It was removed in the early 1990s after substantial deterioration from the elements.
In the latter part of the 20th century the park began to be formally shaped by organized improvement and master planning efforts. The first was initiated in 1974 as a fully designed master plan that acknowledged the parks history and attempted to address current and future recreational needs. However, likely due to budget constraints, the plan was never realized. In 1982 the park received some basic infrastructure improvements from funds received by a successful bond measure. However, despite modest improvements by the early 1990s the park had succumbed to the surrounding downtowns depressed and transitional state leaving the park run-down and primarily utilized by a transient population.
In 1994 as part of an effort to revitalize the cities core, the city of Vancouver adopted a Growth Management Plan titled, Visions for the Vancouver Urban Area. This document recognized the importance of the park to the city and included reinvigorate Esther Short Park as a component to the proposed redevelopment plan. Out of this plan came the Esther Short Park Subarea plan. This provided the vision for 30 square blocks around the park, with the park being the focal amenity in the center. From 1999-2002 the City of Vancouver Parks began the planning and improvements to Ester Short Park. The improvements, based on a new master plan, were completed in June of 2002. Noteworthy here is that preliminary park improvements identified were modest. However, as local partnerships experienced increased interest in the parks initial improvements, more funding sources became available, resulting in all the recommendations on the master plan being fully realized. The resulting improvements and additional facilities in the park today are: an oval walkway with radiating walks connecting to the perimeter sidewalks to the surrounding development and streetscape, a gazebo, bronze sculpture, restrooms, playground, rose gardens, a brick civic plaza, a stone water feature, a pavilion/bandstand and a bell tower with a glockenspiel that tells the Chinook legend of the Salmon several times daily.
The site hosts actvity year round with a variety of events, programs, concerts, food vendors and other activity. The farmers market relocated to adjoing street along the park every weekend from Spring through fall. The design of the park provided the stage, but the programming and the variety of experiences enjoyed at the park are the key element that makes Esther Short Park a success for the citizens of the City of Vancouver and the region. Since the development of the park, the vacant industrial lands surrounding the park have developed into city commercial and residential to the north and east, a new convention center and hotel is planned along the south side of the park and new moderate hi-density residentials is being consturucted to the west. The park has proven to be a gem that has contributed to a surge of economic development around the park.