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| - This 75 acre park is a true Phoenix gem. A CenPho oasis.
Ever wondered about the origin of our major arterial street, Indian School? This is it, folks. "The" Phoenix Indian School was opened by the federal government in 1891, known then as the United States Industrial Indian School. And let's not beat around the bush regarding historical truth. The U.S. Indian Commissioner at the time declared in his opening day speech, "It's cheaper to educate Indians than to kill them." Which says it all. This school was part and parcel of a sad period of US history when our forefathers imposed an "Anglo-conformist" indoctrination program on our Native American brothers and sisters. Native Americans were sent to this school from throughout the western states, including California, Oregon, Colorado and Arizona, to be stripped of their cultural identity, forced to speak English, and learn how to be, I guess, "a real 'Merican." How utterly absurd, and ironic.
But history is what it is, and it lives and breathes at this park where the school and many of its buildings still stand preserved today. The rest of the park features a soothing man-made lake, beautiful fields of grass, amusing sculptures, ramadas for local events, a dog park, and a great running path. There is a massive, beautifully lit at night, American flag in the center of the park, that honestly gives me goose bumps every now and then from how gracefully it is presented.
The park is deeply intertwined with Phoenix's identity in my view, even though it was only created (as a park) in 2001. In part because of the history of the Indian School. In part because of its proximity to our downtown business community. In 2005, I ran an unforgettable and emotionally charged September 11 memorial 5K race here, so it's a part of my own "Phoenix story" as well.
In mid-2007, two news helicopters with 4 people on board, 2 of whom were familiar faces to millions of Phoenicians, collided and crashed onto the park grounds, killing all of them. How amazing that the collision would occur here, in this park, instead of just a few dozen yards away where a crash could have impacted a downtown building or commercial center. Currently, a memorial is being constructed on the spot of the crash.
Source for many of my facts: http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/phoenix/
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