PORTSMOUTH PARKS
The City of Portsmouth, Ohio, owns thirteen Public Parks.
Main Street Portsmouth In Bloom [MSPIB] sponsors three
City Parks and works to improve and maintain a number of additional public and private parks in the Downtown.
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535 On Second
AN MSPIB OWNED PARK
535 On Second is a Public Pocket Park owned and maintained by MSPIB.
Before MSPIB acquired the property, 535 was an empty shell of a historic building overgrown with weeds. MSPIB Volunteers and Sponsors transformed what was once an abandoned façade on Second Street into a beautiful and relaxing park open to Residents and Visitors to Portsmouth's Boneyfiddle Historic District.
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535 is outfitted with tables and chairs for the enjoyment of picnics and The City's Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area [DORA]. The park features the historic building façade, artistic stained glass windows, wrought iron gates, pollinator sculptures, and lighting for the evening hours.
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Reflecting MSPIB's Downtown beautification efforts, 535 showcases two large Flowerbox Planters and five Hanging Flowerbaskets.
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Thanks to the sponsorship of Individual Donors and Scioto Foundation grants, MSPIB is adding a Sensory Garden to the rear of 535 in the spring of 2024!
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535 may be reserved for approved special events. There is a $50 fee to reserve the date, and the park will be cleaned and prepared by MSPIB Volunteers. Please contact MSPIB for more information on 535 On Second and event reservations by calling 740-464-0203 or emailing director@mspib.org
To support 535 on Second, please use the Donate Button at the top of the page and designate the gift to 535.
ALEXANDRIA
PARK
AN MSPIB ADOPTED PARK
Alexandria Park is owned by the City of Portsmouth. MSPIB has adopted Alexandria Park in order to maintain and monitor the area.
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Alexandria Park is located at The Point in Portsmouth's Boneyfiddle Historic District, 110 Scioto Street. Alexandria Park is named for the original settlement in the Ohio River Bottomland west of the Scioto River, abandoned due to repeated floods.
The Point is the land overlooking the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers. Alexandria Park offers a spectacular view of the Ohio River, the Perkins Bridge, and the Kentucky Hills.
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MSPIB Volunteers have spent over 15 years improving Alexandria Park. The Park Sign, Memorial Benches, Picnic Tables, and Trash Cans were all funded by MSPIB Sponsors and installed by MSPIB Volunteers.
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MSPIB Volunteer worked to plant diverse species of shade trees at Alexandria Park, and every year our Volunteers plant and maintain the vibrant Flowerbeds lining the park paths.
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MSPIB contracted to have the two raised metal Butterfly Planters at Alexandria Park fabricated. MSPIB Volunteers installed the planters, and every year our Volunteers fill the Butterfly Planters with seasonal flowers, bringing them to life with multiple botanical arrangements.
Photo by Toni Dengel
To support Alexandria Park, please use the Donate Button at the top of the page and designate the gift to Alexandria Park.
YORK PARK
AN MSPIB ADOPTED PARK
York Park is owned by the City of Portsmouth. MSPIB has adopted York Park in order to maintain and monitor the area.
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York Park is located at 1 Offnere Street on the Portsmouth Riverfront, just west of the Grant Bridge. York Park overlooks the Ohio River, providing a vista of the Grant Bridge and the Kentucky Hills.
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York Park is named for Levi York, a prominent Portsmouth Citizen in the late 1800s. York was a benefactor of Portsmouth known for the saying,"What will help us individually will help us collectively and that will mean a larger and better city."
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MSPIB Volunteers have spent several years making improvements to York Park. A Scioto Foundation Grant allowed MSPIB to install Adult Exercise Equipment at York Park in 2022.
York Park was already a popular spot for Yoga On The River, a free Saturday morning event organized by Instructor, Terri Laxton, with optional donations to benefit MSPIB. The Adult Exercise Equipment at York Park added to the healthy recreation options available for Adults in Downtown Portsmouth.
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In 2023, a partnership between Individual Donors and the City of Portsmouth allowed MSPIB to install a new Playground for Children with the help of Volunteers from Carpenters Local Union No. 437. A Scioto Foundation grant is helped to fund a Safety Fence to surround the Playground.
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MSPIB and the City of Portsmouth have plans to add Picnic Tables and Outdoor Grills to make York Park a destination for Family Outings.
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Parents have the opportunity to utilize the Exercise Equipment while supervising their Children enjoying the Playground within the Safety Fence. A picnic meal with a river view will enhance the experience, attracting both Residents and Tourists to York Park.
To support York Park, please use the Donate Button at the top of the page and designate the gift to York Park.
THE ROY ROGERS ESPLANADE
AN MSPIB ADOPTED PARK
The Roy Rogers Esplanade is owned by the City of Portsmouth. MSPIB has adopted The Roy Rogers Esplanade in order to maintain and monitor the area.
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The Roy Rogers Esplanade is located at the northeast corner of Chillicothe Street and Gallia Streets The Esplanade is named in honor of Scioto County Native, Roy Rogers, the "King of The Cowboys."
Rogers was a famous Singer and Television Star who would attend Portsmouth Parades with a local look-a-like of his beloved horse, Trigger.
The Roy Rogers Esplanade is a gathering place for events featuring a Raised Stage, Shade Trees, and Lawns.
MSPIB Volunteers have spent over 15 years improving The Roy Rogers Esplanade. Our Volunteers conduct seasonal plantings in the Esplanade Flowerbeds, Flowerpots, and hanging Flowerbaskets.
MSPIB Volunteers assembled and installed the Memorial Benches and Trash Cans at The Roy Rogers Esplanade, and MSPIB coordinates grass cutting and weed control on the property.
Many Community Events are held on The Roy Rogers Esplanade including MSPIB's seasonal Farmers Market, the Rotary Club of Portsmouth's Annual Fish Fry, and entertainment and Artist Booths for Portsmouth's Art Walks.
To support The Roy Rogers Esplanade, please use the Donate Button at the top of the page and designate the gift to The Roy Rogers Esplanade.
TRACY PARK
AN MSPIB PARTNER PARK
Tracy Park is owned by the City of Portsmouth. The City partners with a number of Garden Clubs and Civic Groups, including MSPIB, to care for Tracy Park.
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Tracy Park is located at the southeast corner of Chillicothe Street and Tenth Street. Francis Campbell gifted the land for Tracy Park to the City of Portsmouth in 1853 in honor of his attorney, Samuel Tracy.
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Tracy Park is a gathering place for Families and Events, featuring a large covered and raised Stage, a Playground for Children, and Veterans Memorials. Tracy Park boasts a mature canopy of trees in a delightful Urban Forest.
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MSPIB partners with The City's Shade Tree Commission to monitor the health of the trees and Tracy Park. New trees are planted as the need arises.
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A number of events are hosted in Tracy Park every year by a variety of organizations, including the Portsmouth Wind Symphony. The Symphony offers an admission free Annual Fourth of July Concert in the park.
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MSPIB Volunteers work in Tracy Park at the Soldiers Memorial, planting and maintaining the Flowerbeds surrounding the Monument.
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In 2023 MSPIB, with the help of the Portsmouth Beautification Society and Sean Boldman American Family Insurance, installed four new Flowerbeds at the south corners of Tracy Park. MSPIB plants and maintains the Floral Displays in these beds, which flank the diagonal Walking Paths at the park.
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MSPIB is advising in a partnership with Community Action Organization of Scioto County on a grant to fund a project to pave the diagonal Walking Paths at Tracy Park. The paved paths will make the park more accessible to Seniors, Parents with Strollers, and People with Disabilities.
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MSPIB organizes the Light Up Tracy Park Christmas Display every year in November and December, partnering with the City of Portsmouth Service Department and HopeSource Volunteers.
SPOCK MEMORIAL
DOG PARK
AN MSPIB PARTNER PARK
The Spock Memorial Dog Park is owned by the City of Portsmouth. MSPIB partners with The City to care for the Landscaping of the Dog Park.
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Spock Memorial Dog Park is located at 740 Second Street. The Dog Park is named in honor of the Scioto County Sheriff's first K9 Unit dog.
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The Spock Memorial Dog Park features two sections surrounded by Safety Fencing, one for Large Breed Dogs and one for Small Dogs. Each section is a grassy area with Obstacles for Dogs to enjoy and Memorial Benches for Owner relaxation.
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MSPIB partners with Portsmouth's Shade Tree Commission to plant and monitor the health of trees in the Dog Park.
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MSPIB Volunteers designed the Floral and Botanical Displays surrounding the Spock Memorial Dog Park Safety Fence, adding a Beautification Hot Spot to the south entrance of the City of Portsmouth.
Photo by Toni Dengel
Photo by Toni Dengel
WEGHORST
SKATE PARK
AN MSPIB PARTNER PARK
Weghorst Skate Park is owned by the City of Portsmouth. MSPIB partners with The City's Shade Tree Commission to plant and monitor the health of trees at The Skate Park.
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Weghorst Skate Park is located at 337 Fourth Street.
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The park features benches for Spectators and a variety of Obstacles to challenge Athletes on Skateboards, Roller Blades, and Stunt Bikes.
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The Weghorst Skate Park components include a Multi-Lobed Bowl with Metal Coping, a Half Pipe, two Quarter Pipes set at an angle for transitions, a Flatrail, a Kinked Handrail, Grind Boxes, and Ledges.
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The Portsmouth Skate Park Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to the upkeep of the Weghorst Skate Park.
GREENLAWN
CEMETERY
AN MSPIB PARTNER PARK
Greenlawn Cemetery is owned by the City of Portsmouth. MSPIB partners with The City Shade Tree Commission to plant and monitor the health of trees within the cemetery.
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Greenlawn Cemetery is located at 1618 Offnere Street.
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Greenlawn Cemetery has been the final resting place for Portsmouth Residents since the early 1800s. Covering over 40 acres, Greenlawn Cemetery is much more than a graveyard.
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Greenlawn Cemetery is an Arboretum featuring an Urban Forest of over 550 mature trees and shrubs. Faculty and students at SSU have inventoried the trees of Greenlawn Cemetery and documented them on interactive virtual maps.
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The following interactive inventory Maps may be accessed online at shawnee.edu/campus-life/trees/greenlawn-project:
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Greenlawn Cemetery is the venue of a number of Public Events, including the annual Memorial Day Ceremonies honoring Veterans.
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The Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and beautification of the cemetery. The Friends of Greenlawn hosts fundraisers at the cemetery, such as the "Tombstone Trot" 5K Run around Halloween and the annual "Story of Us" Living History Tour where Community Members (often descendants) portray past figures near their graves.
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The Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery Foundation was honored with a 2023 State Historic Preservation Office Award for their efforts in conserving the Greenlawn Cemetery Chapel, built in the late 1800s.
MOUND PARK
AN MSPIB PARTNER PARK
Mound Park is owned by the City of Portsmouth. MSPIB partners with The City's Shade Tree Commission to plant and monitor the health of trees in Mound Park.
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Mound Park is located at the northeast corner of Hutchins Street and Grant Street. Mound Park is named in honor of the prehistoric Native American earthworks located at the site.
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Mound Park was at the center of what was once the largest prehistoric earthen mound complex in the entire world and the biggest of all Hopewell Ceremonial Centers: The Portsmouth Earthworks Complex.
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Eight Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in Ohio have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. While Mound Park was not included on the list, this recognition of the Hopewell Culture's Monumental Landscape Architecture highlights the priceless significance of Mound Park.
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Mound Park features three intact prehistoric earthworks thought to have been constructed over 2,000 years ago: The East Twin Horseshoe Mound, The Mound Park Conical Mound, and The Elevation (formerly known as "Natural").
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During park improvements in 2020, archaeology at Mound Park uncovered nearly 4,500 Middle Woodland Period artifacts now in the collection of the Ohio History Connection in Columbus.
Archaeology in 2022, along with historic records, revealed that The "Natural" Elevation is an earthwork built, or at least enhanced in height, during prehistoric times.
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Artifacts discovered in Mound Park may be viewed in the "Art of The Ancients" permanent exhibition at the Southern Museum & Cultural Center in Portsmouth.
Learn more about the prehistory of Mound Park with the Shawnee State University Center for Public History's Scioto Historical app: https://sciotohistorical.org/tours/show/22.
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In addition to earthworks, Mound Park is home to two Historic Buildings, Basketball Courts, a Baseball Field, Tennis Courts, and Pickleball Courts.
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The Hilltop Initiative Neighborhood Association is actively fundraising to build a new Playground for Children at Mound Park to replace the old Playground that was demolished in 2021.
THREE BRIDGES
PARK
AN MSPIB PARTNER PARK
Three Bridges Park is a private park owned by The Boneyfiddle Project, a non-profit organization focused on Portsmouth revitalization. Three Bridges Park is located at 131 Front Street.
MSPIB partners with The City Shade Tree Commission to plant and monitor the trees in the Tree Wells at Three Bridges Park. MSPIB Volunteers design and plant the Floral Display in the Boneyfiddle Historic District Sign Flowerbox at the edge of Three Bridges Park.
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Three Bridges Park is home to the award-winning Final Friday Concert Series, which takes place on the last Friday of every month from May through September. The Concert Series is admission free and features different genres of music at each event.
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The Final Friday Concert Series draws thousands of people into Downtown Portsmouth. Three Bridges Park is also used as a venue for additional Community Events and is a favorite destination for entertainment.
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For this year's Final Friday Concert Series schedule please visit the website: theboneyfiddleproject.org.
SHAWNEE STATE
UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
AN MSPIB PARTNER PARK
The Shawnee State University [SSU] Campus is a Tree Campus USA facility. MSPIB partners with SSU for a number of Community Events and Projects.
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The SSU Campus boasts over 400 trees in a mature Urban Forest. Faculty and students at SSU have inventoried the trees and documented them on interactive virtual maps.
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These Maps include a full inventory and four different Tree Trails. The Public is invited to enjoy time on the SSU Campus and follow the tree trails to learn more about the diverse species supported at The University.
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To access the following Maps of the SSU Campus Tree Inventory and Trails, please visit shawnee.edu/campus-life/trees/campus-trails:
