Klutho Park, located at 204 W. Third Street, was originally called Springfield Park. Most of the park was created between 1899 and 1901, from land donated by the Springfield Company, a local developer. The city's first zoo was opened in the park in 1914, followed by the city's first municipal pool in 1922.
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Methodic by Robert Cordisco, Medium: Stainless Steel and Bronze
To learn more about the Sculpture walk, check out this article in Arbus article or the project's website.
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Cocket by Michael Cottrell, Medium: Fabricated Steel
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Formed to Fit by Jennifer Rubin Garey, Medium: Bronze, Milled Renshape, Fabricated Steel
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Light Box by Jenn Peek, Medium: Steel, Solar Lighting
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Slices of Heaven by Craig Gray, Medium: Stucco, steel, pressure treated plywood
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Balanc Point by Hanna Jubran, Medium: Cast aluminum
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Oracle's Gate by Jim Gallucci. Medium: Galvanized steel pipe
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Tower II by Matthias Neumann. Medium: Wood
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Plenum Orb by Donald Gialanella. Medium: Stainless steel
Image Courtesy J. Grey, CC BY NC
Giraffe by Melissa Russell
This piece is part of the City of Jacksonville's Art in Public Places project and commemorates the park as the original location of the Jacskonville Zoo.
Image Courtesy of the Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Association (SPAR)
The Springfield Company deeded 40 acres of land near Hogan’s Creek in 1889 to the city of Jacksonville. A zoo was created on the property in 1914. It was called Springfield Park. At the time the zoo’s menagerie included: one red deer, raccoons, wildcats, alligators, monkeys, rabbits, wolves, chickens, white rats, owls, pigeons, canaries, opossums, one guinea pig, and a parrot. The zoo was relocated to the Trout River area after Springfield residents complained about all of the animals.
Born in Illinois, Henry John Klutho studied business in St. Louis, Missouri before becoming interested in architecture and moving to New York City. After reading about the 1901's Great Fire of Jacksonville in the New York Times, he moved south to take advantage of the city's newly blank canvas. You can read a bit about his life and his work in Jacksonville in this post from the Jacksonville Historical Society, or watch the video below in which local architect Robert Broward discusses his book, The architecture of Henry John Klutho : the Prairie School in Jacksonville.
Portrait of Henry John Klutho, 19--. Image courtesy State Archives of Florida.
Buildings in Jacksonville designed by architect Henry J. Klutho . 19--. Image Courtesy State Archives of Florida.