Hermann Park is an urban park located in the southern end of the Museum District in Houston, Texas. This 445-acre Park is home to several cultural institutions such as the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Houston Zoo, and the Hermann Park Golf Course. Hermann Park is considered to be one of Houston’s oldest public parks. In this article, we will know more about this iconic urban Park and the attractions that you can see while you’re here.
History
In June 1899, Houston Mayor, Sam Brashear picked and bought a site that would become the city’s first Park. The said land was about 20.43 acres big, and it costs about $26,000 back then. Before the Houston city purchased the Park, Sam Brashier first formed a park committee that will supervise the Park’s purchase and development.
In 1907, The Houston Civic Club decided to donate the Brownie statue to the City of Houston and place it in Hermann. Artist Louis Amateis created the said statue. Through the years that it has been on display, the figure was stolen and recovered several times before it was finally placed in front of the Miller Outdoor Theatre.
In 1924, Hermann Park’s land grew from 20,43 acres to 133.5 acres when the city decided to add the Golf Course. The golf course’s main feature is that it had grass greens. During the City of Houston’s 100th anniversary in 1936, the Daughters of Republic of Texas decided to construct a log cabin built in Hermann Park, and it serves as a memorial to pioneer men and women of Houston.
Steam engine number 982 of the Southern Pacific was donated to the Hermann Park. Along with this, the Mini-train service was also established in the Park. The engine was kept after a man named Peter Whitney published a newspaper letter that got 75 replies. Which is why the Southern Pacific decided to donated the engine to the city. It took them about five days to move the engine from Blodgett to the Park.
Attractions in Hermann Park
McGovern Centennial Gardens and the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion – From the 15-acre Garden Center, this garden was turned into a stunning attraction at Hermann Park in 2015. Today, the McGovern Gardens has several features in store for everyone, such as the Centennial Green, Family Garden, 30′ Garden Mount, Rose Garden, Celebration Garden, as well as the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion. In this part of the Park, you will be able to come across about 490 trees of over 50 different species, 350 roses in the rose garden, about 760 hedge shrubs, 199 varieties of perennials, and about 106,875 other shrubs, and so much more.
Japanese Garden – This garden is a piece of serenity that is settled in a pine grove adjacent to the Sam Houston Monument. The Japanese garden was designed by the famous Japanese landscape architect Ken Nakajima. This garden was built to symbolize the friendship between the United States and Japan. The garden covers 5 acres of land and has a traditional Japanese garden design with a little bit of touch of Texas.
Miller Outdoor Theatre – This is an open-air theatre where you can watch a variety of multi-cultural events such as concerts or plays while you are having a picnic.
Houston Zoo – The Houston Zoo is a recreational part of the Park that serves about 1.4 million guests every year. This zoo was founded in 1922 and is situated in a lush 55-acre landscape in the middle of Hermann Park. It is considered to be one of the best-maintained zoos in the country.
Hermann Park Golf Course – Hermann Park Golf Course is a lush and scenic golf course that was built in 1922. This golf course started a rich tradition of golfing excellence in Houston that survived for over 70 years. Hermann Park Golf Course is considered the first public golf course in America that welcomed all races. Here you can play golf under the imposing emerald canopy of oak trees and plush Bermuda greens. After you’re done playing golf, you can unwind at the airy veranda in the historic clubhouse, and indulge on some delicious food that is served and prepared with impeccable service.
