There is a place I go that is steeped with peace, tranquility, history and so much more. A place my ancestors frequented over the last generations. A place that provided me with the best playground many decades ago. This place is White Park.
Yes, White Park has provided much recreation for many generations, but it has also filled our hearts with memories that live a lifetime. We cherish these fond memories as our parents before, recalling the many stories that evolved during our childhoods. There are so many stories but it is just one that I will share today: it is a story about the General’s Pet Ducks.
Before we move forward with our story, we need to make a visit to our past. Our beloved,
cherished and coveted park is a crown jewel for the city of Concord. We never would
have had a park if it wasn’t for one very special person, Armenia White. The White family has a long story steeped with success here in Concord. The family is certainly prominent and esteemed, but they were also very generous to the people living in New Hampshire and beyond. Armenia’s husband was Nathaniel White, a gentleman that arrived in Concord without the wealth he eventually accumulated. With his initial employment working in a hotel, he brilliantly observed people and was inclined to save his money and purchase a stage route to make his money in freight. He founded the American Express Company and became very wealthy. A benefactor to those in need both Nathaniel and Armenia gave so much to people, organizations and causes they believed in. From abolitionist to orphans, so very many benefited.
It was with these thoughts Armenia decided to establish the White Park in 1884 in honor of her husband. She established the park and invested in the development over a period of years, hiring renowned landscape architect Charles Eliot to create the plans for the park. We enjoy the original landscape today with many beautiful additions for our pleasure.
The original plan established two ponds, the upper pond and the lower pond. The upper pond was naturally spring fed and cascaded into the lower pond with water flowing under the granite bridge to the outlet. The upper pond no longer exists; it was replaced with a natural wading pool and upgraded to a concrete swimming pool during the depression era by the Work Progress Administration. The cement swimming pool was in time replaced by the splash pad we see children enjoying today. The original lower pond is the remaining pond we see today with the original granite bridge on the southern shore.
It was with particular attention to detail the pond was landscaped by Charles Eliot. The bridge has a twin in Central Park, also designed by Mr. Eliot. Armenia White also donated beautiful white swans for the grand dedication of White Park, swans that resided in the pond for many years. As the seasons passed and the swans aged, they were not replaced, but they were remembered very fondly and the residents always spoke about the swans from long ago.
It was decades later when the residents of Concord became quite curious about mysterious new residents in the White Park Pond. They arrived without much fanfare or ceremony and they were the most adorable collection the children saw. Word spread about the new pond residents in the spring of 1953 and people gathered.
The new addition to the White Park Pond was a covey of wild mallard ducks. People thought they might have been ushered in by nature, but they soon learned that was not the case.
The mallards were presented to the city of Concord as a gift from Lt. General Edward A. Brooks. The mallards were actually tamed by General Brooks and resided in their earlier years at Fort Meade, Maryland, where General Brooks was the commanding general of the Second Army.
General Brooks retired in 1953 and decided to donate his collection of mallard ducks to the city of Concord White Park Pond. His generosity was greatly appreciated by both the young and old, and the summer of 1953 saw many people standing on the pond shore appreciating the trained mallards.
The general thought so highly of his duck collection he named each and every duck himself.
As we enjoy the last days of summer, please remember the mallards that resided in White Park Pond 72 years ago. It is of Sir Francis the Drake, Daisey, Violet, Peewee, Stuffgut and Gussie that I speak as I fondly recall the generosity of Lt. General Edward A. Brooks.