The History of Mead Park
GGlenn C. Mead was born in the home just east of the Hare Creek
Bridge on East Columbus Avenue, His mother, the late Mrs. Alice
Mead, was a prominent resident of the community, She was a teacher
who engaged in Private tutoring. Later she taught in Bradford schools
where Glenn Mead graduated from high school.
Mr. Mead completed his education at Exeter Academy and Harvard
University. he practiced law in Philadelphia for years and held the
Position of city attorney for a considerable period and later served on
the staff of the Reading Railroad Company. He organized the
Philadelphia Club in 1910, and in 1912 and 1913, he headed the
Rotary International after serving as thehead of the club's
Philadelphia unit.
Mead Park Notes
by Jerry Davis
Mead Park was given to the City of Corry by Glenn Mead, a man
who grew up in Corry and became a lawyer for the Reading Railroad
Glenn Mead was, among other things a "Rotarian" and one of the
precepts of Rotary is to foster ideas and translate these ideas into
reality. Glenn Mead had an idea for a park in Corry and he started
the park with a gift of land. The City took up this idea and with untold
hours of labor by volunteers a park was created. Glenn Mead was so
pleased with the progress in the park that he purchased an additional
parcel of land which doubled the size of the park and proceeded to give
this to the City to complete the park. Every year Mr. Mead would visit
Corry, review the progress and visit with old friends and Rotarians
Horton Davis and Tony Litz. Mr. Mead always attended the weekly
Rotary meeting when he was here. Glenn Mead followed the founder
of Rotary, Paul Harris, as the second president of Rotary International.
When Mr. Mead died his remains were transported to Corry and he was
interred in the city which he loved so well. The Philadelphia Rotary Club
sent six Rotarians to Corry to act as pallbeares, and after the service
Horton Davis took them on a tour of Mead Park to show them the work
which Glenn Mead had created. Mr. Mead left his entire estate in trust
for the benefit of Mead Park. Mead Park has always been a special place
in the hearts of the local Rotarians and a few years ago they built the
large Rotary wheel at the entrance to the park to honor Glenn Mead.
The local club has also honored its own deceased members by planting a
tree for each beloved Rotarian. The Rotary Club also built a pavillion to
honor John McLean, a past President of the club who had worked very
hard on Mead Park projects and was taken by cancer at a young age.
Recollections of an 8-Year Old
Traveling with his Dad
by David Nichols
During the spring of 1939 I was fortunate to walk with my father
Stanley H. Nichols, out to Collins Woods on West Wayne Street,
Corry. Today we call it Mead Park on Mead Avenue.
We walked through the acreage and Dad told me how he and Dick
Rossbacher, both City Councilmen, had bet an ice cream soda to
whomever comes up first with gratis land for a city park, Dad also
explained how Mr. Mead, an attorney from Philadelphia, Pa and a
bachelor, spent his summers in Corry trimming out the undergrowth
in the woods and clearing the creek of fallen timber, leaves, ect.
The clearest, coolest water to be found was drunk from hand on
many a summer day. I can recall that Mr. Mead would hire Harry
and Logan Warner and some of the other boys from the Sandy Hill
area to work with in the park. Perry Nichols (no relation) was the
taxi cab owner and driver, and acted as chauffer for Mr. Mead
whenever he came to Corry.
Later in 1939 when Mr. Mead visited Corry, Dad and I walked down
to Mrs. Arnold's house to chat with Glen, Mrs Arnold was a cousin
and Glenn stayed at her house when he was in town. Dad expressed
a desire of how nice it would be if Collins Woods were a community
park - one where the people of Corry could walk to and enjoy all
within the city limits. I recall vividly how Mr. Mead looked so
pleased, he turned and smiled to Mrs. Arnold as to say , "Someone
else shares my dream." This led to negotiations with City Council
prior to accepting it. All in ormation is documented in the old city
archives. Eventually, on Thanksgiving Day, 1940 the land became
the property of the City of Corry. A special dedication has been
arranged for the Corry High School auditorium at 11:00 AM
Thanksgiving morning. The preceeding night and that morning we
had a typical winter snow storm.
The train Mr. Mead was on traveling on from Philadelphia was
considerably late. The Corry High School band was on hand along
with city dignitaries, and a few people were in the auditorium,
However the actual ceremony never took place until the afternoon
without a lot of the fanfare.
This was the beginning of Mead Park, part of understanding that
Mr. Mead insisted upon was at no time was there to be a charge in
the park for anything which could deprive a youngster or any citizen
from enjoying an activity being conducted within the park. Some may
recall at a July 4th celebration, when West Wayne Street was
renamed Mead Avenue, that the pony rides were held on private
property in a vacant field on the east side of Mead Avenue.
Yes, Dad did collect the bet at Fred Hoenes' ice cream palor one
Monday evening either prior to or after a Council meeting. I am sure
this was a very sweet soda as any time a person won from "Rosie"
was a memorable occasion.
William W. Hammond, Jr.
My great-grandparents, Hiram and Sarah Francis, owned the land
west of West Wayne St., now known as Mead Ave. He acquired this
from the Holland Land Company. Hiram Francis worked for the
Holland Land Co. After my great-grandfather died, his widow, Sarah
gave the land to her daughter and son-in-law, Anna C. and Clyde D.
Wilcox. This was on May 10, 1918. At this time the land was know
as "Francis Grove." When I was a young boy, Jerry Davis and I
would play in Francis Grove and at Christmas time we would cut our
Christmas tree there and drag it home. Jerry lived on Congress St.
and I lived on Frederick St., both only a couple of blocks from the
Grove. I understand my grandfather had an idea to turn the grove
into a park in 1925 and contacted Glenn Mead about his idea. My
grandfather died soon after and in 1944 Glenn Mead contacted my
grandmother and she sold him the land for one dollar on July 12,
1944. This land , plus a parcel adjoining on the north, is now know
as Mead Park. Mr. Mead gave this to the city November 25, 1947.
Here are a couple of Links of biographies
about Glenn Mead