1932 – The Follansbee Park

The park was a product of the Depression era and civic ingenuity and dedication. Hundreds of Follansbee Steel workers were unemployed at the time and the men were hired to build the park. The mayor of Follansbee appointed a Welfare & Unemployment Committee that included: L.A. Diller (chairman), George Hahne, Robert Cash, Arthur McCort, and Mayor Charles H. Manion, member ex officio.  Donations were solicited from the citizens of Follansbee for a fund to be used as wages for the unemployed at 25 cents per hour.  City churches, schools, and other organizations  helped to collect the funds.  Wheeling Steel, which had earlier provided ground for the High school and football field, donated the land required for the park.

271313-tif The first swimming pool in Follansbee, with the historic Cyrus Ferguson house seen in background. Circa 1934

Using rock taken from the widening of Route 2 near the Market Street Bridge, the Simonetti brothers cut and laid the stone for the walls and foundations of the park buildings. Oglebay Park in Wheeling provided the shrubs and trees.

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Municipal Park:  Follansbee Park Memorial.  Photo courtesy of Mayor’s office Follansbee.

An inscription on the cornerstone at the southwest corner of the pool reads: “Built by the unemployed of Follansbee — 1932.”

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Recent Photo of Follansbee Pool. Courtesy of Mayor

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Follansbee Park entrance under construction 1932.  Concession building on right. Photo- Follansbee Brooke County Library.

 

 

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Follansbee pool constructed 1932-33. See Football field behind High School dedicated in 1928. Photos- Follansbee Brooke County Library.

House Follansbee Park

 

Community House build in 1940s. Photo – Jim Mirasola