SOUTH PARK SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF
BUDDY AND JANE HEBERT

Alice Keith Park

REMEMBER  WHEN  WE  COULD  SMELL  THE  ROSES  ???

SPRING WAS A BEAUTIFUL TIME IN SOUTH PARK AND AS YOU DROVE DOWN HIGHLAND AVENUE, YOU COULD SMELL THE AROMA OF THE BEAUTIFUL ROSES THAT WERE BLOOMING IN ALICE KEITH PARK.

ALICE  KEITH  PARK WAS CONSIDERED  ONE  OF  THE  MOST BEAUTIFUL PARKS IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, WITH ITS 2,300 ROSE BUSHES ARRANGED IN 26 BEDS AROUND A 50 FOOT FLAG POLE. THE PARK WAS ALWAYS FILLED WITH RESIDENTS JUST ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF THE SURROUNDINGS.

THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH PARK FOR MANY YEARS HAD DREAMED OF A PARK IN OUR AREA, AND ON APRIL 14, 1931 THE CITY OF BEAUMONT PURCHASED TWO TRACTS OF LAND OUT OF THE J.W.BULLOCK SURVEY FROM THE UNITED CHARITIES OF BEAUMONT, ONE OF WHICH WAS USED FOR THE BUCKNER DAY CARE CENTER, AND 9.06 ACRES BEING DEVELOPED INTO A PARK TO BE NAMED FOR ONE OF THE CITY'S BELOVED PIONEERS, ALICE CARROLL KEITH, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS 'THE MOTHER OF BEAUMONT."

THE PARK PROPERTY WAS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF HIGHLAND AVENUE AND LAVACA STREET, AND WHEN CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED WAS A BREATH TAKING MEMORIAL TO ALICE KEITH.

 ALONG THE HIGHLAND AVENUE ENTRANCE WAS A BEAUTIFUL LAWN, TRIMMED TO PERFECTION, AND BEYOND THE LAWN WAS THE LOCATION OF THE ROSE GARDEN. THE ROSE BUSHES WERE
ARRANGED IN COLORFUL BEDS, WITH  RED AND PINK VARIETIES MASSED.

BEYOND THE ROSE GARDEN WAS AN ELEVATED TERRACE, WITH A WHITE SEMI-CLASSIC BRICK
SHELTER HOUSE, SURMOUNTED BY A RED SPANISH TILE ROOF WHICH HAD BEEN DESIGNED BY
ARCHITECT, RICHARD C. HEARTFIELD. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHELTER WAS AN OPEN STAGE, WITH REST ROOMS BUILT ON EACH SIDE OF THE SHELTER.

FRAME ARBORS PAINTED WHITE WERE BUILT ON EACH SIDE OF THE SHELTER, EXTENDING TO THE END OF THE TERRACE, WITH BEAUTIFUL RED ROSES CLIMBING OVER SLENDER WHITE COLUMNS. MANY A ROMANTIC YOUNG COUPLE SAT ON THIS TERRACE TO HAVE THEIR PICTURE TAKEN. IT WAS A SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT SPOT!

A WADING POOL WAS BUILT JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE BUILDING ON THE LAVACA STREET SIDE, WITH A SMALL ISLAND IN THE CENTER COVERED WITH GRASS. POPLAR TREES, SPIREA, FIRETHORN AND NUMEROUS OTHER SHRUBS AND TREES FORMED A DEEP GREEN BACKGROUND.

AN OPEN AREA SEPARATED FROM THE TERRACE CONTAINED TWO BASEBALL DIAMONDS.  AT EACH END OF THIS SPACE WERE PLAYGROUNDS.  LONG THE LAVACA STREET AREA WERE 15 LARGE SWINGS, 9 SMALL SWINGS, 8 SEE SAWS, AND SEVERAL SLIDING CHUTES, AS WELL AS CHINNING BARS.

THERE WERE PICNIC UNITS, WITH 9 TABLES AND BENCHES, AND 3 BBQ UNITS, AND THERE WERE 3 TENNIS COURTS. ALONG THE NORTH END OF THE PARK PLOT WERE BEDS OF LILIES, AND IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER WERE GROVES OF REDBUD AND CEDAR. YOU COULD PLAY VOLLEYBALL AND BADMINTON, AND THERE WERE BASKETBALL GOALS - AND EVEN 2 SWINGING BENCHES.

ABOUT TWICE A YEAR THE PARK ARRANGED FOR CITIZENS TO RECEIVE CUTTINGS FROM THE ROSES, AND ON CERTAIN SATURDAY MORNINGS THE PARK SUPERVISORS WOULD BE ON HAND TO GIVE OUT THE ROSE CLIPPINGS, AND CITIZENS FROM ALL OVER BEAUMONT WOULD ARRIVE TO GET ONE OF THESE CLIPPINGS.  AND IN 1951, I WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE RESIDENTS IN LINE TO GET A ROSE CLIPPING - MY VERY FIRST ROSE GARDEN.

SOUTH PARK RESIDENTS SPENT MANY A SUMMER DAY WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN ALICE KEITH PARK, HAVING A PICNIC, TAKING THE YOUNGSTERS TO WADE IN THE WADING POOL, OR JUST SITTING IN THE PARK ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL.

FOR YEARS THE CITY HAD PROMISED SOUTH PARK A SWIMMING POOL FOR THEIR  PARK, AND ON AUGUST 15, 1936 THE CITY ANNOUNCED THAT A SWIMMING POOL WOULD  INDEED BE BUILT IN ALICE KEITH PARK, WITH SUBMERGED LIGHTS AND A FILTER PLANT. THE CITY HAD MADE APPLICATION TO THE WPA (WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION) TO PROVIDE THE COST OF THE LABOR, AND AFTER  THE PLANS AND DESIGN WERE FINAL, ON OCTOBER 26, 1937 GROUND BREAKING FOR THE POOL WAS HELD.

FRANK HELMKE WAS ON LOAN FROM HIS COMPANY TO OVERSEE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE POOL, WHICH WAS BUILT BY A LANSING, MICHIGAN COMPANY.  THE POOL WITH ITS POURED
CONCRETE FACADE FEATURED THE STARK ANGLES AND STYLISTIC TOUCHES OF THE LATE ART
DECO PERIOD.

NO ONE IS SURE WHY BEAUMONT OPTED FOR ABOVE-GROUND POOLS, BUT SOME POOL EXPERTS
SUGGEST THAT ABOVE GROUND POOLS WERE CHEAPER TO BUILD OR THAT SOIL PROBLEMS OR A
HIGH WATER TABLE MADE THEM EASIER TO BUILD IN BEAUMONT.  ONE POOL HISTORIAN SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT BE THAT THE WPA HAD AN EXCELLENT ARTIST, AND THOUGHT THAT AN ABOVE-GROUND POOL WOULD BE A WAY TO SHOW OFF HIS WORK. RECORDS INDICATE THE COST OF BUILDING THE POOL WAS $45,000.00.

THE POOL WAS DEDICATED MAY 26, 1938, AND MADE ALICE KEITH PARK EVEN MORE OF A GATHERING PLACE FOR THE LOCAL RESIDENTS. IT WAS SORT OF A SOCIAL HUB FOR THE AREA, AND DURING THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS, THE POOL AND PARK WERE A REFUGE FOR THOUSANDS. 

AND ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS BENCHES WERE SET UP ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE TERRACE SHELTER, A BIG MOVIE SCREEN WAS IN PLACE, AND MOVIES ALONG WITH CARTOONS WERE SHOWN TO THE CROWD EACH NIGHT. NOT ONLY DID THE KIDS ENJOY THESE MOVIES, MOST OF OUR MOMS AND DADS MADE THE TRIP TO THE PARK FOR THE MOVIES. WHAT GREAT FUN WE HAD!

THE SWIMMING POOL WAS NOT ONLY A GREAT PLACE TO COOL OFF, BUT IT WAS ALSO A FANTASTIC PLACE FOR THE KIDS TO HANG OUT AND MEET EACH OTHER. THERE WERE TWO DIVING BOARDS AT THE POOL, ONE EXTREMELY HIGH (BELIEVE ME) AND A LOWER BOARD. MANY OF THE YOUNGSTERS WERE EXCELLENT DIVERS, AND ONE IN PARTICULAR - FRANKIE KOKENES PROVIDED US WITH  MANY NIGHTS OF GREAT ENTERTAINMENT WATCHING HIM PERFORM HIS BEAUTIFUL DIVES. AND DURING THOSE DAYS, PARENTS NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR YOUNGSTERS WALKING TO THE POOL AND BACK HOME LATER THAT NIGHT.

THOSE SUMMER  MONTHS WERE WONDERFUL TIMES FOR US YOUNGSTERS GROWING UP, AND MY MEMORIES GO BACK TO THOSE TIMES OFTEN!

IN JANUARY, 1952 GULF STATES UTILITIES INSTALLED LIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE PARK, AND ON MARCH 2, 1958 A YOUTH CENTER WAS DEDICATED. NOT ONLY DID BUDDY AND I ENJOY THE FACILITIES OF THE PARK WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP, BUT THEY PROVIDED MANY HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR OUR SON AS A YOUNGSTER.

OVER THE YEARS THE COST OF TAKING CARE OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL ROSES,THE LILLY BEDS AND OTHER LANDSCAPING HAD BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE, AND THE ROSE BUSHES WERE REMOVED FROM THE PARK.

I DO NOT RECALL JUST WHEN THE SUMMER RECREATION PROGRAM STOPPED,  BUT I DO KNOW THAT IN 1970 IT WAS STILL BEING HELD. IN 1989 CONCERTS ON THE MOVE IN THE CITY PARKS BEGAN, PROVIDING SOME GREAT MUSIC FOR RESIDENTS, AND IN 1995 NEIGHBORS IN THE PARK STARTED.

BUT NOW OUR ALICE KEITH SWIMMING POOL, THE GRAND OLD LADY OF BEAUMONT'S  WATER RECREATION PROGRAM, AND PERHAPS THE NATION'S LAST DEPRESSION-ERA, ABOVE-GROUND MUNICIPAL SWIMMING POOL, HAS FALLEN ON HARD TIMES AND WILL SOON BE JUST ANOTHER MEMORY.  THE  CITY HAS PURCHASED THE PROPERTY NEXT TO ALICE KEITH PARK TO ENLARGE THE PARK AND BUILD AN IN-GROUND POOL FOR THEAREA YOUNGSTERS, AND LEWIS HILTPOLD, PARKS MANAGER, HAS ADVISED  THAT CONSTRUCTION ON THE NEW POOL WILL  BEGIN ON MONDAY, JUNE 8TH.THE NEW ADDRESS FOR THE POOL HAS EVEN BEEN RECEIVED 4070 REED.