Burns Park (North Little Rock, Arkansas)
{{Short description|Park in North Little Rock, Arkansas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
File:Arkansas River Trail in Burns Park..jpg
Burns Park is a {{convert|1700|acre|ha|adj=on}}{{cite web|title=Attractions|url=http://www.northlr.org/visitor/attractions.asp|publisher=City of North Little Rock|accessdate=6 November 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130415103953/http://www.northlr.org/visitor/attractions.asp|archivedate=15 April 2013}} park in North Little Rock, Arkansas.{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansas.com/attractions/attr_detail.aspx?id%3D18117%26r%3DCentral%26city%3DNorth+Little+Rock |title=Burns Park, North Little Rock, AR - Central Region |accessdate=2010-07-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213054215/http://arkansas.com/attractions/attr_detail.aspx?id=18117&r=Central&city=North%20Little%20Rock |archivedate=2010-02-13 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.quapawbsa.org/trails/BPhistory.htm |title=History of Burns Park |accessdate=2010-07-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727193210/http://www.quapawbsa.org/trails/BPhistory.htm |archivedate=2011-07-27 }} The park features two golf courses, Funland Amusement Park, sports facilities and a camping area.{{Cite web|url=http://littlerock.about.com/od/tourcentralarkansas/tp/aacityparks.htm|title=The 11 Best City Parks in Little Rock|access-date=2010-07-10|archive-date=2010-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608044015/http://littlerock.about.com/od/tourcentralarkansas/tp/aacityparks.htm|url-status=dead}}
History
About 6,000 acres of land in North Little Rock, Arkansas (at the time called Argenta) were purchased by the United States government between 1900 and 1915. It was used as a training camp for soldiers during World War I called Camp Pike. Fox holes and other remnants of the camp can still be found along the trails and other areas of the park. In 1937, Camp Pike was renamed Camp Robinson and expanded to 48,188 acres during World War II. Camp Robinson was used for basic training and housing prisoners of war. After the war Camp Robinson was declared surplus and the land was divided and sold.{{Cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/camp-robinson.htm|title = Camp Robinson}}
A local doctor named William Burns started a drive to buy the land and was granted 20,000 dollars to buy the area for a park. He helped build pavilions, roads, trails, and a lake. In 1950, the park was named Burns Park after him.{{cite web|url=http://www.quapawbsa.org/trails/BPhistory.htm |title=History of Burns Park |accessdate=2010-07-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727193210/http://www.quapawbsa.org/trails/BPhistory.htm |archivedate=2011-07-27 }}
Park amenities
17 Soccer Fields;
Fishing lake;
2 - 1 acre off-leash dog parks;
22 Tennis Courts;
2 - 18 hole golf courses;
2 - 18 hole disc golf courses;
1 - 9 hole disc golf course;
numerous playgrounds, picnic areas, pavilions;
3 outdoor basketball courts;
Softball complex (5 fields);
Youth Baseball complex (7 fields);
RV Camping (52 sites);
Archery Range;
Amusement Park (Funland);
15 miles of natural surface multi-use trails;
6 miles of paved multi-use trails;
Covered Bridge;
Union Pacific Caboose;
World War II Tank;
Old Log Cabin;
Boat launch to the Arkansas River
=Tornado damage=
On March 31, 2023, a tornado formed and moved through the area, causing extensive damage to the park's trees, its baseball field, recently expanded amusement park, and other buildings.{{cite web
| url = https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/burns-park-one-week-after-tornado/91-67bafe48-4dfb-47ff-815a-d8357c85f803
| title = A look inside Burns Park one week after tornado tore through
| last = Price
| first = Frederick
| date = April 7, 2023
| website = THV11.com
| publisher = THV11
| access-date = June 18, 2023
}} It was estimated that the park lost about 10,000 trees from the tornado.{{cite web
| url = https://www.pressreader.com/usa/arkansas-democrat-gazette/20230405/281522230360225
| title = Tornado damage shuts Burns Park
| last = Eichkorn
| first = Paige
| date = April 3, 2023
| via = PressReader
| publisher = Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
| access-date = June 26, 2023
}} Burns Park was closed indefinitely as storm recovery was underway.{{cite web
| url = https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/burns-park-one-week-after-tornado/91-67bafe48-4dfb-47ff-815a-d8357c85f803
| title = A look inside Burns Park one week after tornado tore through
| last = Price
| first = Frederick
| date = April 7, 2023
| website = THV11.com
| publisher = THV11
| access-date = June 18, 2023
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web
|url ={{GNIS 3|47208}}
|title =Burns Park
|work =Geographic Names Information System
|publisher =United States Geological Survey
|accessdate =2014-01-10}}
{{Coord|34.79704|-92.31043|format=dms|display=title|type:landmark_region:US-AR}}
Category:Geography of Little Rock, Arkansas