Root River Parks Added to State Register of Historic Places

RACINE, Wis. (WRJN) – Another part of Racine is officially more historic. The Root River Parks in Racine, encompassing Island, Riverside, Cedar Bend, and Washington Parks, have been officially added to the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places.

Constructed between 1905 and 1914, the parks were designed by Jens Jensen, a renowned Midwestern landscape architect. They feature elements of the Prairie style of landscape architecture, including native vegetation, curving pathways, open meadows, and a central water feature. The parks were planned to highlight scenic views along the Root River.

The district also includes facilities like the athletic fields, playgrounds, and golf course.

With the addition of the Root River Parks, Racine County now has 57 properties listed as ‘historical’. Those include the Racine Heritage Museum, the Thomas P. Hardy House and Frank Lloyd Wright’s S.C. Johnson and Son Administration Building and Research Tower.