Explore Marshall Park with The Hickman
August 9, 2024
When was the last time you took a walk in the park? If you live in West Chester borough, there’s a good chance it’s been recently – and if not, what are you waiting for? Twelve parks are packed into the 1.85 square miles that make up the borough—and our proximity to them here at The Hickman is one of the many reasons we are such a wonderful place for seniors to call home. In fact, just a block from our front door lies the historic Marshall Square Park—a haven for nature enthusiasts of all ages, a host of outdoor festivals and concerts, and a timeless reminder of the rich history of our town.
Located between East Marshall Street, North Franklin Street, East Biddle Street, and North Matlack Street, Marshall Square Park is a mere 3-minute, mostly flat walk from The Hickman. Dating back to 1841, when West Chester Borough acquired its land, the park holds a place in our town’s history and continues to thrive today as home to several recreational and community events.
From Arboretum to Public Park
Marshall Square Park is named after Quaker botanist Humphrey Marshall, cousin of renowned American botanist John Bartram, and author of the first botanical essay in the Western hemisphere, titled “Arbustum Americanum: The American Grove.” Though it began as an arboretum, Marshall Square became a public park in 1878 and has several unique features worth noting, including:
- The highest point in the borough – the southwest corner – where you’ll find the Soldiers’ Monument honoring fallen members of the 97th Regiment of the Civil War
- A system of brick gutters throughout the grounds called “swales,” which were installed as a drainage system in the late 1800s
- When it was installed in 1889 in the park’s northeast corner, the fountain cost $170. In the 1950s, it was dismantled, later restored to its original beauty, and re-dedicated in 2016.
- At one time, the park was home to many large and exotic trees, some of which remain today.
Marshall Square Today
These days, the park is preserved and improved by the Friends of Marshall Square Park. It is a favorite destination for families and neighbors to gather, whether it’s to visit the playground, pull up a lawn chair, or listen to music during the summertime Music at Marshall concert series, with the final concert scheduled for August 22, 2024, or to take in the beauty of the park’s luminaria during the Christmas season. Visitors can explore the many varieties of trees growing within the park’s boundaries, several of which date all the way back to the park’s beginnings. You can print your Tree Location Map here or refer to the large map posted in the park itself; thanks to an identification project completed in 2012, you’ll find each tree labeled with its common and Latin names.
We’re so fortunate at The Hickman to have this beautiful piece of West Chester history essentially at our doorstep and accessible without needing a car, offering our residents a connection to their surrounding community all year.