History
Ann Arbor's city parks sit on the ancestral and traditional homelands of several indigenous Native peoples. Read a
land acknowledgement from the city and learn more about the early history of the land
here.
The land that is now known as Broadway Park was acquired by the city. This was done mostly through condemnation of several properties from 1902 to 1915. Mayor Royal S. Copeland had a vision of a "green sward" of land along the river. In 1902, however, the land on both sides of the river was split between many owners and filled with junkyards and factories. The park was formally named "Riverside Park" in 1907, although that name did not stick. The park across the river became known as
Riverside Park in 1934, a name it still carries. From around 1934 through 1973 the park was unofficially referred to as "Hobo Park." This was due to the hoboes that would arrive in Ann Arbor via the train station looking for work. The park was officially named Broadway Park in 1973. Read more about the history of Broadway and Riverside Parks in this
Ann Arbor Observer article from the AADL.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the city struggled with maintaining the water levels just past the Argo Dam. This led to more erosion at Broadway Park and other areas along the Huron River. In one instance,
two people in a canoe nearly died when their canoe was sucked through the dam in a sudden surge of water.
An article from the Ann Arbor News in 1987 details efforts to manage the water levels. Today, canoers, kayakers and rafters gently float past Broadway Park after embarking from Argo Park.
