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TRAER – Taylor Park improvements have been the goal of the “Polish Up Taylor Park” committee, formed during the Traer Sesquicentennial. Projects already completed include new playground equipment, renovations to the bandstand and the upgraded military display. Michelle Podhajsky will be at the Traer Museum on Friday, Oct. 4 to talk about future plans for the park.

Giles Taylor donated the land for Taylor Park in 1877. It was originally fenced. The first Traer water tower was built in the southwest corner of the park in 1894. In 1901, the city levied a tax for improvements to the park. The following article was printed in the Traer Star Clipper on May 29, 1903:

“Professor Price, of the State college at Ames was recently in Traer and spent a day in the park making sketches and plats. He was employed by the park commissioners to lay out the park for coming improvements. The commissioners, who are F. E. Shortess, W. H. Gregg and E. E. Taylor, desire to employ a man for the summer to take charge of the work. Parties who would like a chance at this job should see one of them at once. The general design is to level the ground for the use of a lawn mower construct walks and drivees, erect a band stand and fountain and provide for a small body of water in the southeast corner, as well as to set out trees, shrubs, flowers etc. Not all this can done In a year, but a good start will be made.”

In 1904, drives were covered with conders, a lagoon was constructed in the southeast corner of the park. Drives were established and covered with cinders. In 1905, the park was mowed regularly, flower beds were planted, a fountain was placed, and the bandstand was erected. A rustic bridge was built over the lagoon and cement walks were laid around the fountain and across the park.

By 1906, the city council supplied the band stand with electric lights. Traer’s park was said to be the handsomest and most comfortable spot in Tama county in summer.

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A Civil War artillery rifle was secured by Tama Jim Wilson display in Taylor Park while he was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The rifle remained in the park until the late 1980’s. The years of display outdoors had taken a tole on the rifle. It was refurbished and is currently on display in the Traer Historical Museum.

The arch over the west entrance to the Park was donated by the Kubik Finch Post of the American Legion and Auxiliary as a remembrance of comrades from Traer who gave their lives in World War I. The seven names on the plaque are Clair E. Finch, Edward Ray Kubik, Edward McCord, William Lawson McTurk, Roy Lyle Pearce, Fred G. Pippert, and George Wieben. The arch was dedicated on July 3, 1923 during the 50th anniversary of the town of Traer. In 1976, the structure was refaced with new brick. In 2023, the metal was sandblasted and repainted.

The lagoon was drained and the first swimming pool in Tama county was built in Taylor Park in 1931. There have been two new swimming pools since. The Traer Lions Club raised money for a shelter house in 1959. It was destroyed in a storm in 2020, and a new shelter house was built. The bandstand was rebuilt in 1977 and received more renovations in 2023.

Come to the Traer Historical Museum on October 4 at 10 a.m. to share memories of the park and hear about plans for more improvements.

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