At the north end of Main Street was a wooded area owned by Thomas E. Garvin, a prominent Evansville attorney. First known as Garvin's Grove, it was open to the public and served as a retreat away from the city. In 1915, the land was given to the park system, thus establishing Garvin Park. Municipal parks received high priprity under Mayor Benjamin Bosse, and probably none more than Garvin Park. The park was laid out by a former student of Frederick Law Olmsted (who designed Central Park in New York City). The lake was built to remedy flooding from nearby Pigeon Creek. An entry gate and the electric fountain [seen here] were added shortly after the park opened. In the 1930s, architect Harry E. Boyle designed a bandstand and picnic shelter for the park. Amenities such as a pool, tennis courts, and playground equipment were added later. (Engler, Joe. Evansville. (Postcard History Series). Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2012, p. 121-122)