WHERE DID IT (THEY) GO!
H & P Page 8
With the last issue of H&P a four part series
began about things of historical significance that
have "disappeared" from the area The last issue
featured a local streetcar that finally ended up at the
Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport,
Maine.
This issue features two items - the original
pair of lions that once spewed water into the fountain
at the Park street entrance to City Park.
As a bit of review, what is known today as
the City Park fountain
would be more
properly referred to
as the Jackson Memorial
Fountain. The
beautifully tiered
\ centerpiece of City
'Park, given to the
City in memory of
Monroe Jackson, Jr.,
was received and
dedicated in October
of 1906.
Though details
are not complete,
apparently the
fountain was at one
time extensively
damaged by a storm. An undated Parkersburg news
article relates that local
businessman Spencer!
Creel rescued the
"whole thing from the
trash", including the lions
and the statue of the
lady who adorned the
top of the fountain. The
article says that he was
given the lions because j
they had apparently suffered
much damage.
Creel, who
owned a welding shop,
made molds of the lions
faces, cast them and
eventually restored the
lions to nearly perfect condition A picture of his
front yard, probably taken in the late 1940's, shows
the lions on his porch, what appears to be the "lady
Wood County Historical and Preservation Society
OF WEST VIRGINIA
from the fountain" in the yard, and the Civil War
cannon that is now a part of Fort Boreman Park.
Yes, Spencer Creel was an industrious and very
busy man!
Though details are lacking, the fountain at
the park was eventually repaired, complete with
replacement lions, and though it is probably far
from its original beauty, it is still a very attractive
"center piece".
Back to the Lions
The lions that Creel salvaged continued to
guard the front porch of his home along the old
Staunton/Parkersburg Turnpike for several years
after his death in 1979. When the property was
sold in 1980, the lions were a part of the sale.
Some years ago they disappeared; rumor
was that they had "left" the area. Out of sight, out
of mind! Gone forever? Not quite!
A few months ago the topic of the lions
came up again; they had returned! They were now
in the possession
of
G a r y
Traugh, local
busine
s s m a n
and collector
of historic
items.
Apparently
the lions
had never
left Wood
County, they were just being kept "out-of-sight".
Today, the two "Kings of the Jungle" are
again sitting on either side of steps, guarding the
front porch of a brick residence; they just moved
across the river.
Prior to April 1897, the property that the citizens
of Parkersburg proudly refer to as a city park, belonged
to the Wood County Agricultural and Mechanical
Fairground Association and was used as
the county fairgrounds.
Initially, the grounds were known as "Oakwood
Park". In 1911, the name of this beautiful place of
leisure officially became City Park.
More About City Park
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