[Illustration: {uncaptioned}]
This is Oak lake, in Lincoln’s newest park—1st to 14th, Y to Oak, 279
acres. If you are unimpressed, please remember two things: First, a nice
expanse of blue water is never to be looked down the nose at, especially
in a prairie city. Second, it is a wonderful improvement on the
magnificently proportioned dumping ground which used to occupy the same
quarters, and over which roamed unfortunates peering and picking at bits
of refuse. Things have been done to Oak creek, so that its main channel
now runs thru the center of the park. Between it and Salt creek lies the
lake, which members of the Lincoln boat club rejoice in as a place to
hold races.
The park site was once a part of the great salt flats whose glistening
white blanket drew early settlers to Lincoln. In fact, these saline
lands took a prominent part in the early history of Lancaster county—in
the courts, in politics, and elsewhere. Both Governor Butler and J.
Sterling Morton were involved. Morton had put up a log cabin on the
flats and pre-empted the basin in 1861. In 1870 Butler leased the flats.
Endless complications and lawsuits resulted. In the end Butler was
forced to pay thousands of dollars to the state.
The salt industry, from which so much had been hoped, failed for several
reasons—importation of cheaper salt from Utah, the difficulty of forming
large areas into drying pans, and the destructive rains and overflows
which for 80 years have bedeviled the Salt creek bottoms. The last named
situation the sanitary board has been battling with renewed vigor since
the disastrous flood of May, 1942, with considerable promise of success.
Returning to the subject of parks, Lincoln is liberally sprinkled with
them. We have 22, in assorted sizes.
[Illustration: CITY OF
LINCOLN
_includes_
STREET CAR AND BUS LINES
HIGHWAY ROUTES]