Information
Landmark: Delano ParkCity: Decatur AL
Country: USA Alabama
Continent: North America
Delano Park, Decatur AL, USA Alabama, North America
Overview
In Decatur, Alabama, Delano Park stands as one of the Tennessee Valley’s oldest public spaces, where tall oaks shade paths worn smooth by more than a century of footsteps.
Founded in 1887, it took its name from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s mother’s family, honoring Columbus Delano, who once served as Secretary of the Interior under President Ulysses S.
Grant.
Grant reached out, his palm warm against mine.
Today the park still mixes history, open lawns for play, and bursts of vivid blossoms, drawing neighbors together while preserving its past.
In 1887, during a post-Reconstruction economic boom, Delano Park took shape as part of the “New Decatur” city plan, imagined as the heart of the town where neighbors might stroll under young oak trees.
A true cultural landmark, the park unfolds along winding drives, past gardens trimmed with care, and into open spaces where people gather-an embodiment of Victorian faith in health, leisure, and beauty.
In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration built stone walls, graceful little bridges, and other features that shaped the park’s unmistakable character.
Delano Park spans roughly 28 acres, blending its century-old pathways with bright new playgrounds and fresh green lawns.
Highlights include the Rose Garden, its most beloved feature, first planted during the 1930s WPA work when fresh roses lined the stone paths.
They restored and expanded it, and now, in peak season, over a thousand rose bushes burst into bloom, filling the air with a sweet, heady scent.
Just steps from the park, the Princess Theatre mural bursts with color, honoring Decatur’s heritage and deepening the park’s cultural roots.
With its playground and splash pad, this spot buzzes with kids laughing and parents chatting under the summer sun.
Shaded trails wind through the trees, while wide green lawns invite joggers, picnickers, and neighbors gathering for weekend events.
Stone bridges and weathered walls, built by WPA hands, still stand firm.
Their rough, cool stones carry the park’s New Deal story to anyone who pauses to touch them.
For generations, Delano Park has been the heart of Decatur’s civic life, hosting lively festivals, open-air concerts, and neighborhood celebrations where the scent of kettle corn drifts through the crowd.
Since the late 20th century, the Delano Park Conservancy-a volunteer-run group-has led the way in preserving and restoring the park, from repainting benches to reviving its worn brick paths.
They brought the Rose Garden back to life, trimming roses until the air smelled sweet, and refreshed the landscaping so the park stays a place people love to visit.
In the heart of downtown Decatur, it’s a green oasis where you can hear leaves rustle, offering a calm counterpoint to the city’s industrial and commercial rise while keeping nature within easy reach.
Starting in the early 2000s, teams worked to bring back Delano Park’s historic charm.
The Rose Garden bloomed again, rebuilt from old records and refreshed with winding paths and a quiet hum of new irrigation lines.
They refreshed the landscaping to keep the charm of its Victorian roots, adding touches that welcome today’s visitors-like smooth stone paths you can stroll without tripping.
The WPA stonework still stands solid, its New Deal–era craftsmanship intact, the chisel marks sharp as the day they were cut.
Visitors can enjoy the park in every season, and there’s no charge to wander in-even when the air smells of pine after a summer rain.
The best times to go are late spring into early summer, when roses fill the air with their scent, or in fall, when fiery leaves frame the old stone walls.
You can park close by, just a few steps from the entrance, and it’s an easy drive from downtown Decatur as well as spots like the Cook’s Natural Science Museum and the Carnegie Visual Arts Center.
Delano Park isn’t just another city green space-it’s a living snapshot of Decatur’s growth, its hard years during the Depression, and the pride that still blooms along its shady paths.
Blending WPA-era stonework, vibrant gardens, and lively modern play areas, it’s become a landmark generations have cherished.
More than 135 years after it was created, it’s still one of Alabama’s loveliest small-city parks, alive with the spirit of civic pride and shaded by the same tall oaks that first framed its paths.
Founded in 1887, it took its name from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s mother’s family, honoring Columbus Delano, who once served as Secretary of the Interior under President Ulysses S.
Grant.
Grant reached out, his palm warm against mine.
Today the park still mixes history, open lawns for play, and bursts of vivid blossoms, drawing neighbors together while preserving its past.
In 1887, during a post-Reconstruction economic boom, Delano Park took shape as part of the “New Decatur” city plan, imagined as the heart of the town where neighbors might stroll under young oak trees.
A true cultural landmark, the park unfolds along winding drives, past gardens trimmed with care, and into open spaces where people gather-an embodiment of Victorian faith in health, leisure, and beauty.
In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration built stone walls, graceful little bridges, and other features that shaped the park’s unmistakable character.
Delano Park spans roughly 28 acres, blending its century-old pathways with bright new playgrounds and fresh green lawns.
Highlights include the Rose Garden, its most beloved feature, first planted during the 1930s WPA work when fresh roses lined the stone paths.
They restored and expanded it, and now, in peak season, over a thousand rose bushes burst into bloom, filling the air with a sweet, heady scent.
Just steps from the park, the Princess Theatre mural bursts with color, honoring Decatur’s heritage and deepening the park’s cultural roots.
With its playground and splash pad, this spot buzzes with kids laughing and parents chatting under the summer sun.
Shaded trails wind through the trees, while wide green lawns invite joggers, picnickers, and neighbors gathering for weekend events.
Stone bridges and weathered walls, built by WPA hands, still stand firm.
Their rough, cool stones carry the park’s New Deal story to anyone who pauses to touch them.
For generations, Delano Park has been the heart of Decatur’s civic life, hosting lively festivals, open-air concerts, and neighborhood celebrations where the scent of kettle corn drifts through the crowd.
Since the late 20th century, the Delano Park Conservancy-a volunteer-run group-has led the way in preserving and restoring the park, from repainting benches to reviving its worn brick paths.
They brought the Rose Garden back to life, trimming roses until the air smelled sweet, and refreshed the landscaping so the park stays a place people love to visit.
In the heart of downtown Decatur, it’s a green oasis where you can hear leaves rustle, offering a calm counterpoint to the city’s industrial and commercial rise while keeping nature within easy reach.
Starting in the early 2000s, teams worked to bring back Delano Park’s historic charm.
The Rose Garden bloomed again, rebuilt from old records and refreshed with winding paths and a quiet hum of new irrigation lines.
They refreshed the landscaping to keep the charm of its Victorian roots, adding touches that welcome today’s visitors-like smooth stone paths you can stroll without tripping.
The WPA stonework still stands solid, its New Deal–era craftsmanship intact, the chisel marks sharp as the day they were cut.
Visitors can enjoy the park in every season, and there’s no charge to wander in-even when the air smells of pine after a summer rain.
The best times to go are late spring into early summer, when roses fill the air with their scent, or in fall, when fiery leaves frame the old stone walls.
You can park close by, just a few steps from the entrance, and it’s an easy drive from downtown Decatur as well as spots like the Cook’s Natural Science Museum and the Carnegie Visual Arts Center.
Delano Park isn’t just another city green space-it’s a living snapshot of Decatur’s growth, its hard years during the Depression, and the pride that still blooms along its shady paths.
Blending WPA-era stonework, vibrant gardens, and lively modern play areas, it’s become a landmark generations have cherished.
More than 135 years after it was created, it’s still one of Alabama’s loveliest small-city parks, alive with the spirit of civic pride and shaded by the same tall oaks that first framed its paths.
