Through community philanthropy, and the help of donors like you, a group of Grand Forks citizens and the Grand Forks Parks & Recreation Foundation are raising funds to renovate historic Skidmore Park.

GF Parks & Rec
Foundation
Jill Nelson
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Informational Flyer >

Letter of Intent >

The Skidmore Park Renovation Campaign aims to create a more accessible park for the local community to utilize. In the spirit of the park’s history, the renovation will include the installation of a large green space, addition of a patio around the horse trough which will be home to three ADA accessible picnic tables. Within the patio will also reside three in-ground veggie gardens. Three educational perennial beds will also be installed featuring traditional medicinal native plants. The sidewalk will also be extended along North 5th Street between the REI building and Gateway Drive to allow safer access to the Valley Dairy Convenience Store and Dairy Queen just across North 5th Street.

• Installation of a Large Green Space
• Addition of a Patio around the Horse Trough
• 3 ADA  Accessible Picnic Tables
• 3 In-Ground Veggie Gardens
• 3 Educational Perennial Beds Featuring Traditional Medicinal Native Plants
• Sidewalk extension along North 5th Street

The land that we now now as Skidmore park was originally owned by the Skidmore family before Highway 2 ran through it. The section of Highway 2 that runs by the park today was once called Skidmore Road. Skidmore Park became property of the Grand Forks Park District in 1909 and kept the family and road name as the land around it was developed. At that time, the Antiquities Act (June 8th, 1906) had recently been instated. This act supported a greater interest in regional parks or “pleasure grounds” which were semi-open, charmingly landscaped areas whose primary purpose was to allow city residents, especially workers (note the nearby mills), to relax in nature.

In 1907, the National Humane Alliance gave Grand Forks a watering trough valued at $1,200 as part of a national campaign to improve conditions for workhorses and dogs. The 5-ton polished Maine granite fountain, one of nearly 125 donated to communities across the nation, was first located at Chestnut and Fifth Street South, near the site of the original Grand Forks County Courthouse. As horses were replaced by automobiles after World War I, the trough was moved to the Sweet Clover Creamery site on South Third Street, and fell into neglect. Coach and radio personality Ed Bohnof raised money to move it to 5th Street North and Gateway Drive.