Picture perfect postcards of the Historic District's parks present a wonderful tour of the once-glorious public spaces. Truly picturesque, Dignan Park and Springfield Park (now called Confederate Park and Klutho Park, respectively) were sparkling jewels in Jacksonville's "Emerald Necklace" of green spaces.

Though certainly pleasant and used today, their past history as showpiece parks always catches the imagination of those who would like to see the spaces blossom as they once did. 

Confederate Park 

"Confederate Park is located near downtown, in the Springfield area of north Jacksonville. First named Dignan Park, for a chairman of the Board of Public Works, it opened in 1907 and contained the City’s first supervised playground. The United Confederate Veterans chose Jacksonville as the site for their annual reunion in 1914, and the park as the site for a monument honoring the Women of the Southland. Five months after the reunion of an estimated 8,000 former Confederate soldiers, the City renamed the park, and the monument was erected the next year. During the early decades, citizens came from all over Jacksonville to attend cultural events at the park or to see the beautiful Rose Arbor. Visitors strolled along the lovely Hogans Creek Promenade that opened in 1930, and in more recent years attend events sponsored by the Springfield Improvement Association & Woman’s Club." From www.coj.net 

Klutho Park

"Henry J. Klutho Park (formerly known as Springfield Park) is located in the Springfield section of north Jacksonville. Most of the park and adjacent Boulevard were created along Hogans Creek between 1899 and 1901, on land donated by a developer, the Springfield Company. The City's first zoo opened at the park in 1914, followed by the first municipal swimming pool in 1922. Founded in 1904, the Springfield Improvement Association & Woman’s Club has steadfastly worked for the beautification of the park. The Hogans Creek Improvement Project of 1929-30, designed by architect Henry Klutho (1873-1964) and engineered by Charles Imeson, turned much of the park grounds into a lovely Venetian-style promenade. The City renamed a portion of Springfield Park in 1984 to honor Mr. Klutho, a Springfield resident whose high-rise buildings in downtown and Prairie School of architecture transformed Jacksonville after the Great Fire of 1901."  From www.coj.netwww.coj.net

The Hogans Creek Task Force, spearheaded by the City of Jacksonville and SPAR (Springfield Preservation And Revitalization), meets monthly with community partners to help restore both parks to their former glory. By using the Hogans Creek Master Plan as a guide, the long but important process of restoration and reconfiguration has begun, with the ultimate goal of making the Emerald Necklace park system the "central park" of Jacksonville once again.