Blackwell Park History

By Robert Singletary

In 1902, Frederick Blackwell, a wealthy lumberman from Williamsport, Penn., came to Coeur d’Alene to invest in the emerging timber industry. In addition to developing one of the largest timber empires in northern Idaho, he became involved in railroad building, banking, tourism and recreation.  In 1905, he constructed one of the most attractive parks in the Inland Northwest near downtown Coeur d’Alene.  The new park, which was first named Blackwell Park and later became the Coeur d’Alene City Park, extended over 20 landscaped acres along the waterfront. In addition, a dance pavilion, bath house and grandstand were constructed on the park grounds, along with graveled walkways, flowers and a variety of shade trees. Rec-1-21

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