Greetings, fellow travelers, and thanks for considering a visit to Burlington, Iowa. Like most communities, we take pride in having several attractive, well-maintained city parks for the enjoyment of both locals and visitors.
The one that I consider a must-see is 85-acre Crapo Park, which was established in 1895 by businessman and philanthropist Philip Crapo. (Um, just for the record, it's pronounced "CRAY-po!") In 1976, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and also is recognized as a Level 2 arboretum by ArbNet.
Crapo Park features walking trails, majestic trees, pretty flower gardens, a fountain, the Hawkeye Log Cabin, a playground, picnic tables and a small lake. But most of all, be sure to take in the panoramic view of the mighty Mississippi River from the bluff near Horseshoe Drive. It was here that Lt. Zebulon Pike, during his 1805 expedition to locate the headwaters of the Mississippi, first raised the Stars and Stripes on what later would be Iowa soil.
And finally, no visit to Crapo Park is complete without taking a spin down the photogenic, bright-red Curly-Q slide. Rumor has it that sitting on a sheet of wax paper greatly enhances the ride, but I, um, can neither confirm nor deny that!
Whether you're looking for a quiet picnic site, hiking trails, scenic views, or just a place to let the kids burn off some pent-up energy, historic Crapo Park is ready to welcome you. I love its serenity, and am sure that you will, too.
