1000 Montgomery Avenue
|
Last updated on November 21, 2024
|
The Montgomery Hall Park is on the grounds of the Peyton plantation. The Peytons were former enslavers who purchased the land, and Montgomery Hall Mansion was built by enslaved labor who also maintained the property. The house and land were passed in the family through generations. The original house burned around 1900, and a new mansion was built. Before there was Montgomery Hall Park, black citizens of Stanton could only visit Gypsy Hill Park and pool once a year on Labor Day. The historic African American Fairview Cemetery was used as park grounds. In 1945, Dr. C.J. Waller of Staunton requested the City Council for youth programs for black children to have a safe place to play. The council rejected the request several times. In 1946, Rev. T.J. Jemison of Mount Zion Baptist Church suggested and petitioned for a black community park. The current property owners of Montgomery Hall sold the property to the city of Staunton to be used for a “negro park.” The council appointed a Montgomery Hall Park Committee in 1947, led by Irene Givens, with volunteer officers from the black community, who serviced the park for 25 years. The segregated Montgomery Hall Park had its grand opening on July 4, 1947, and was used by the local African American community until 1969, when the park was desegregated and incorporated into the rest of the Staunton parks.
After the park’s opening, the city had a limited budget, and most expenses were covered by fundraising and loans led by the committee. The park committee purchased furniture and equipment for day-to-day operations and received donations such as additional funds, a TV, a piano, and benches from the community. One significant donation of $10,000 from Elizabeth Catlett funded the swimming pool construction. Over the years, the park had numerous amenities, including a swimming pool, playgrounds, picnic areas, a ballpark, a merry-go-round, a bowling alley, a tennis court, and a sports shop. On July 29, 1947, Dr. John Chiles, with James Strother and Phillip Pannell, formed the Baseball Negro Team, Junior League. In the 1950s, other sports teams used the park for football, basketball, and softball games and practices. The rooming space in the mansion was rented by different clubs like Girls Scouts and Veterans of Foreign War for meetings and other activities.
African Americans visited Montgomery Hall Park from across the state due to the shortage of accessible public parks, and it was one of the very few parks in the state that African Americans could visit. After its closing in the 1960s, the park opened in 1975 for use by all races in the community after efforts by the Booker T. Washington Alumni Association to revive the park. Montgomery Hall Park is open today, and the Montgomery Hall, now the Irene Givens Administration Building, houses the Staunton Parks and Recreation Department. A historical marker was installed in 2015 at Montgomery Hall Park, and the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
After the park’s opening, the city had a limited budget, and most expenses were covered by fundraising and loans led by the committee. The park committee purchased furniture and equipment for day-to-day operations and received donations such as additional funds, a TV, a piano, and benches from the community. One significant donation of $10,000 from Elizabeth Catlett funded the swimming pool construction. Over the years, the park had numerous amenities, including a swimming pool, playgrounds, picnic areas, a ballpark, a merry-go-round, a bowling alley, a tennis court, and a sports shop. On July 29, 1947, Dr. John Chiles, with James Strother and Phillip Pannell, formed the Baseball Negro Team, Junior League. In the 1950s, other sports teams used the park for football, basketball, and softball games and practices. The rooming space in the mansion was rented by different clubs like Girls Scouts and Veterans of Foreign War for meetings and other activities.
African Americans visited Montgomery Hall Park from across the state due to the shortage of accessible public parks, and it was one of the very few parks in the state that African Americans could visit. After its closing in the 1960s, the park opened in 1975 for use by all races in the community after efforts by the Booker T. Washington Alumni Association to revive the park. Montgomery Hall Park is open today, and the Montgomery Hall, now the Irene Givens Administration Building, houses the Staunton Parks and Recreation Department. A historical marker was installed in 2015 at Montgomery Hall Park, and the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
