Ann Morrison Park: A Legacy of the Boise Community
Boise, Idaho is known as the “City of Trees” and in staying in keeping with this arboreal moniker Ann Morrison Park is comprised as such. An urban refuge that boasts more than 153 acres, Ann Morrison Park is nestled along the banks of the Boise River and flanked with over 2000 trees. But the city park is more than just a swath of river-rich land; it is an area that thrives as a hub of sports activities, nature-inspired walks and community events.
Harry Morrison, founder of renowned Boise-based Morrison Knudsen, wanted to honor his late and loving wife with a lasting legacy, one devoted to the city that she so loved. So in 1959, he quietly purchased 100 acres from a failed school bond measure as a site for a new high school and quickly added an addition 53 acres to his new proposed park area. Under the guidance of Vern Otter and the competent team of Morrison Knudsen managers, plans were instilled to build a new type of park, one that emulated those from our very nation’s main attractions.
As a result, Ann Morrison Park is a quiet little enclave of gurgling riverbanks, arcing romantic bridges and canopies of greenery and earthen paths. Whether you are in Ann Morrison Park to feed the many waterfowl with your young children or are donned in waders and fishing rod to hook a few trout, a weekend is best spent here in the great city of Boise. Sports fans, young and old, can enjoy participating or cheering on their favorite teams under the shade of the many trees or can get in a leisurely run around the miles of greenbelt paths and grassy fields.
Boise State is located just up the road, easily accessed through Ann Morrison Park, where you can find a multitude of shops and restaurants, something to tame that hungry appetite, one borne from a day on the river or playing in the park’s playground and running paths. When out and about consider spending some time in one of Boise’s most beautiful parks and don’t forget to reflect upon its humble purpose; a lasting legacy of love, community and preservation.
Do your part by honoring its past and protecting its future for generations to come.
