MacRae Park
| MacRae Park | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of MacRae Park | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Coordinates | 41°34′6.762″N 93°37′31.782″W / 41.56854500°N 93.62549500°W |
| Area | 50.9 acres |
| Established | 1897 |
| Owned by | City of Des Moines |
| Website | https://www.dsm.city/business_detail_T6_R66.php |
MacRae Park is an urban park located in Des Moines, Iowa. The park has 50.9 acres which includes playgrounds, a scenic overlook, and a pond. The park is in the Gray's Lake Neighbourhood and is owned and operated by the City of Des Moines.[1][2] The park is named after Donald MacRae, a graduate of Drake University and a soldier in the 168th infantry who was the first Iowan casualty of World War I.[3][4]
On October 2, 2019, the park added a scenic overlook that looks towards Des Moines which is 96 feet long and the tip of it hovers 40 feet above the hillside, with LED lights installed.[5] On June 28, 2023, new improvements to the park opened to the public after a $2.75 million project that lasted more than 7 years. The original plans for the project were approved on March 8, 2021.[6] This project added a bike friendly loop around the park, a boardwalk overlooking the pond, and a new playscape.[7][8]
References
- ^ "MacRae Park". City of Des Moines. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ "MacRae Park". Friends of DM Parks. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
- ^ "South Des Moines To Honor War Martyr In Memorial Day Program". The Des Moines Register. May 18, 1918. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
- ^ Frazier, Joseph (2010-01-25). The WPA Guide to 1930s Iowa. University of Iowa Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-58729-663-5.
- ^ "EMC Overlook Provides Breathtaking View of Downtown Des Moines Skyline". WHO 13. October 2, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
- ^ "Des Moines City Council approves $2.7 million in MacRae Park improvements". KCCI. 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ "Historic MacRae Park Improvements Complete". City of Des Moines. Archived from the original on July 24, 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ "Improvements completed at historic MacRae Park in Des Moines". Business Record. 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2025-07-24.