RIPPEY MARTIN PARK CONSTRUCTION BEGUN, 1940
Jefferson Herald April 25, 1940
RIPPEY NOW HAS A NEW CITY PARK
Seven-Acre Tract Being Landscaped
What may very probably become one of the prettiest and most popular parks in the county is the Martin Community Park, which is now under construction on the west edge of Rippey.
The park contains approximately seven acres and was purchased recently through the efforts of the Rippey Commercial club and the citizens of this Washington township community. Heading the list of contributors were R. G. Martin, sole living Civil War Veteran in Greene County, and his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Mabyl Martin. The park was named in their honor.
Baseball Diamond
In the center of the park is a fine level ground for a baseball diamond, destined to be the best in the county. To the south is a big parking space and several shade trees for a picnic grounds.
At the north end of the park, considerable landscaping has been done under the supervision of the Iowa State College Extension Service. A total of 73 trees have been planted, a perennial flower garden has been planned and winding footpaths have been laid out. Among the varieties of trees which have been set out are American elms, black maples, pin oaks, hackberries, American red buds and flowering cherries.
Committee Raised Funds
The hopes for such a park, which had been in the minds of public-spirited residents of Rippey for some time, began to assume reality when I. J. Burk, president of the Commercial Club, appointed a committee to raise funds. The committee consisted of Everett Fry, T.T. “Sparry” McCain, Claude States and Jake Peters.
The committee went to work in earnest and soon more than $800 was made available. That sum indicates that practically every family in the community had made a contribution. Most of the work has also been donated and at present the N. Y. A. boys are at work on the project.
The money will not get done all that should be done, however, according to the men who are sponsoring the park. Additional contributions would be most gratefully received.