A Walk Through the History of Taylor Park

The other day I was out walking the trail at Taylor Park and started taking the time to actually read some of the historical signs posted throughout the park. I've driven past and visited Taylor Park plenty of times over the years, but I never realized just how much history is packed into this little piece of Fond du Lac.

One of the first things I learned was that the park is named after Jared Taylor, who built the Taylor House in 1858. According to one of the signs, the property was known as "Forest Home" on a map from 1857, which may be where Forest Avenue got its name. Even more interesting, Emma Street and Mary's Avenue were named after Taylor's daughters. It's pretty cool to think that some of the streets we drive on every day have roots that go back more than 160 years.

As I continued around the walking trail, I came across signs talking about Taylor Park's past as a community gathering place. Back in the early 1900s, there was a swimming hole where local kids and families spent their summers. There was even an old bath house and a children's wading pool. Across the street, the Frazier Brothers grocery store sold something called Taylor Park Coffee and played a big role in the park's history. Fred Frazier organized Sunday concerts in the park and later became the park superintendent.

What surprised me the most was learning that Taylor Park's history goes back much further than the city itself. The park is home to Native American burial mounds that are believed to be around 1,000 years old. Three of the mounds are aligned with the winter solstice sunrise and summer solstice sunset, showing just how important this land was long before Fond du Lac was established.

The trail itself is only about a half-mile loop, making it an easy walk for just about anyone. If you've never taken the time to walk it and read the signs, I'd recommend checking it out. It's one of those places that most of us have probably driven by hundreds of times, but once you start learning the stories behind it, you realize Taylor Park is more than just a park. It's a small piece of Fond du Lac history that's been sitting right in front of us all along.