Box 6, Folder 5: Lapham Park

[Newspaper clipping with illustration, "Mrs. Alice Merry Director of Lapham Park Playground and Miss Rhoda Gooch Teacher of Folk Dances"]

The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society

Columbus, October 16, 1909.

Miss M.J.Lapham, Oconomowoc, Wis. My dear Miss Lapham:- I am duly in receipt of a copy of the Milwaukee Free Press, October 10, 1909, containing the tribute to your father, Dr. Increase A. Lapham in connection with the naming of a public park after him. I have read the article with great interest and desire to thank you for sending the copy of the paper in question to me. Yours truly, E. O. Randall

The Evening Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wis.

Editorial Department

August 30, 1909

My Dear Miss Lapham: Thank you very much for the offer to lend the astronomical atlas. I should be very glad to avail myself of the opportunity to make use of in a way that would tend to interest the public in our project for the naming of Schlitz Park after your father. Sincerely Yours, John G. Gregory

Miss Julia A. Lapham, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

Resolution.

Whereas, the City of Milwaukee has purchased the property at present known as Schlitz Park located in the City of Milwaukee to be used for public park purposes, and Whereas, the said property is to be officially designated by renaming the same, and Whereas, numerous names have been suggested among them "Lapham Park" in the memory of the late Dr. Increase A. Lapham, Wisconsin's pioneer Archeologist and resident of the City of Milwaukee. Whereas, Dr. Lapham gave thorough and scientific investigation of Wisconsin's pre-historic remains, as well as scientific study in the branches of Botany, Meteorology and Geology. His public spirited work and publications have proven of great value as an accurate and faithful record of the interesting earthworks of this state. It not only has made its author a leading authority on Archeology, but the State of Wisconsin famous the world over for its emblematic mounds. Resolved, by the Wisconsin Archeological Society, (membership over 500) that, the Common Council and the Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Milwaukee are hereby requested to re-name Schlitz Park, "Lapham Park" thereby paying a fitting tribute to the memory of Dr. Increase A. Lapham and perpetuating a name that should come to the notice of every Milwaukee youth, that he might profit by the example set by this wonderful man. The name would be especially appropriate as the park itself is a natural mound, lying almost in the midst of a splendid group of earthworks discovered and surveyed by Dr. Lapham, but since destroyed. Resolved, that the Secretary be, and he hereby is instructed to forward a copy of these resolutions with the signature of the President and Secretary affixed, respectively to the Common Council and Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Milwaukee, and to the Lapham family. Milwaukee, Wis., October, 18th, 1909. Otto J Habhegger President.

Chas E. Brown Secretary.

Introduced by Mr. Arthur Wenz

For Sunday Sentinel Aug. 28. 1909. Insert two page cut of Dr. L. now in files of Sentinel.

Dr. Increase A. Lapham

The Name Of This American Scientist Would Be Most Appropriate For Schlitz Park

By Geo. A. West

Dr. Increase A. Lapham was born in Palmyra, N. Y. in 1811. In his early manhood he served as an assistant on the survey of the Erie Canal, and as an engineer in the construction of the Welland and Miami canals. Arriving in Milwaukee in 1836 he was soon engaged in laying out the streets of the then new city of Milwaukee. Being a keen observer his attention was at once attracted to the strange artificial earth elevations and depressions in the form of birds and animals that were then so common in the southern portion of this state and so rare beyond its borders. Dr. Lapham immediately began a most thorough and scientific investigation of these prehistoric remains. Probably his first paper published on the subject was an account of the large "turtle mound" in Prairie Village, now the city of Waukesha, in the Milwaukee Advertiser, then in its first year of existence. From the date of Dr. Lapham's arrival here he turned his attention to scientific study and investigation, not only in Archaeology, but particularly in the branches of botany, meteorology and geology. In 1844, LAPHAM'S WISCONSIN, said to be the first book every published in this state, appeared. It is a geographical and topographical description of Wisconsin, with brief sketches of its history, geology, mineralogy, natural history, population, soil and productions, with several pages devoted to antiquities, especially the far famed ruins at Aztalan, Jefferson