Brazos Past: Playtime in Waco
By Terri Jo RyanTribune-Herald staff writer
Waco made the leap from big town to small city a century ago with the April 1909 election of four commissioners to replace the aldermanic form of municipal government.
Instead of representing wards with their own parochial concerns, the elected commissioners were assigned citywide duties: finances, streets, fire and light (we’d say public utilities today), and police and sanitation.
Fire and Light Commissioner John F. Wright was given much of the credit for pushing the public parks agenda. Wright asked for a bond election in 1910.
“His progress in the fight for parks was given wonderful impetus during the year 1910 by the donation of the Cameron family of Cameron Park,” according to the Illustrated Municipal Handbook of Waco: The Happy Prosperous City of Central Texas. “This lovely spot, in the north part of the city, has become a most popular resort.”
Besides the large municipal parks established in that era, Wright also had neighborhood parks installed throughout the city.
He also contracted with Alessandro’s Band, a musical ensemble that performed at the Cotton Palace and on Brazos riverboats, to play semi-weekly concerts during the summer months at the city parks.
Another of those first commissioners was James H. Mackey, a businessman involved in real estate and insurance who ascended to the mayor’s post in 1912. During his administration, park lands, such as Sul Ross Park near downtown, were improved upon.
Mackey, who served until 1914, said he took the most pride during his term in the expansion of public parks and recreation.
“I crave no greater monument than to be remembered as the mayor who helped to give the men, women and children of Waco these parks, playgrounds and music,” Mackey said.
tjryan@wacotrib.com
757-5746
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