Annie’s Woods celebrates 100 years

The DeKalb Park District Board, at its October board meeting, recognized the DeKalb Women’s Club and presented the group with a certificate of appreciation for the donation of Annie’s Woods to create a public park 100 years ago.

“We are forever grateful for the forward-thinking actions that the DeKalb Women’s Group accomplished back in 1917,” Park Board President Phil Young said in a news release. “Annie’s Woods was one of the inaugural parks that started it all, and paved the way for the eventual development of the DeKalb Park District.”

In February 1912, the DeKalb Women’s Club discussed acquiring Annie’s Woods, a 10-acre tract of virgin forest, to establish a public park. It was then voted by club members to purchase Annie’s Woods according to a contract entered between Annie Glidden, Bertha Bradt and her husband Samuel Bradt, and the DeKalb Women’s Club.

The club agreed to pay $2,480 for the entire parcel. In May 1916 the payment was made in full. On May 1, 1917, the city of DeKalb accepted the gift of Annie’s Woods from the DeKalb Women’s Club to be used as a public park.

When the DeKalb Park District was formed in 1935, Annie’s Woods Park was one of the four original parks in the district, along with Hopkins Park, Liberty Park and Huntley Park.

In 2013, Annie’s Woods underwent a renovation including a new playground, open air shelter and basketball court.