While there are some efforts to try and
save the old grandstand at Garrison park, the structure is not in
very good shape with leaks and mold problems, and the city says there
are plenty of baseball fields at Centennial Park that are in better
shape.
Crossville recreation director Tammie French said that the park would become a community park that would provide activities and play for children in the area and for adults, a walking trail. The second phase of the project will include a multi purpose field that would allow football and soccer games as well. French pointed out that the city currently has no football fields in its inventory.
Crossville recreation director Tammie French said that the park would become a community park that would provide activities and play for children in the area and for adults, a walking trail. The second phase of the project will include a multi purpose field that would allow football and soccer games as well. French pointed out that the city currently has no football fields in its inventory.
In 1947, the start of the city of
Crossville’s recreation department included approval by the
Crossville city commission to approve the financing of the
construction of Garrison Park Grandstands. The dream of grandstands
had been in the works back into the 1920's when a fund raiser was
held at the Mecca. It is not know what happened to any funding
raised, but until almost 1950 there was just a baseball field at
Garrison Park.
The property at Garrison Park was most
likely acquired when the city got the land for the construction of
City School on Fourth Street. The city kept ownership of the park
when they gave the city school to the county to operate.
From it's construction until the time
the Crossville Blues semi-pro baseball team was disbanded in the
early 1950's it was their home field. It was a big part of the warm
weather entertainment of that time. After the semi-pro team
disbanded, the field and grandstands were used for a variety of local
teams to play baseball including the Cumberland Co. High School team and it was operated by the city recreation
department.
The field was named after Bill
Garrison, a local resident who went north to make his fortune in
Chicago. He was also known as “Dollar Bill” for the story that
he left Crossville with only a dollar in his pocket. When he
returned he built the Will-Nell building where Highland Federal is
today and the Palace Theatre. He also owned the house on 70-E that
was also known as the Oaklawn Country Club.
The story is that he donated money
towards the construction and that is the reason the park was named
after him. If the city's current plans goes through, the park would
remain known as Garrison Park.
Below are some photos of the current state of the grandstands. We were able to get access to the space under the grandstands and there are leaks and mold problems currently.
This photo shows an area under the grandstand that is leaking badly.
This is below both the roof and the concrete seats.
Ladies Restroom
Door frame rusting out
Under the grandstand
Bricks, rust and water under the grandstand
Water coming in causes the white scaling
Concrete damage and rust
The photos below are exterior damage. It appears that the brick exterior may be of a later date then the original construction.
I recall myself, Gary Brown and Lowell Patton adding the covering around the concessions area, many many years ago. We gathered the materials through donations from several businesses throughout the City. I also remember using the area underneath the stadium for football locker rooms, boxing and off season workouts. Butch Burgess, Jim Turner, Dexter Patton, Coleman Vandever, were just a few of the fine men that were a big influence to us, as we grew up. They taught us the true meaning of sportsmanship.
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