One of Bolton Hill’s older parks has undergone a new freshening, thanks to neighborhood volunteers. At the southern end of the neighborhood sits Contee-Parago Park. This small but beautiful park provides a cool oasis in the summer and a quiet space for contemplation year-round. Its history also exemplifies the can-do attitude of Bolton Hill residents.
The area now occupied by the park was cleared as part of “urban renewal” in the 1960s. Rather than see the site developed, in 1969 a group of Bolton Hill neighbors created the 1200 Block Bolton Street Improvement Association to spearhead the creation of a park bounded by Dolphin Lane, Bolton Street and Dolphin Street.
In May 1971, the park was dedicated to Mr. William Gailes Contee and Mr. Edward William Parago, two of Bolton Hill’s oldest residents. Mr. Contee was born in 1888, 23 years after the Civil War, and bought his house at 232 Dolphin Lane in 1930. Mr. Parago bought his house at 234 Dolphin Lane in 1908. His grandson, Reece Culbreath, lived in his grandfather’s house until his recent passing. Contee-Parago Park was very likely the first city park to be named after Black Baltimoreans.
Over the years, however, Contee-Parago Park deteriorated. The magnificent willow oaks that ring the park sent their roots into the pavement and under the surrounding brick walls, raising safety concerns. The park walls also provided cover for drug use and other illicit activities, deterring many people from visiting the park. Time for Bolton Hill neighbors to take action!
Former Bolton Hill resident Jean Lee Cole led a multi-year effort to secure funding and in-kind assistance to renovate the park. With grants from BHCA, the Bolton Hill Garden Club, and several other non-profits, Jean and a team of volunteers were able to renovate the park, removing the brick walls, redesigning the flower beds, and planting hundreds of mostly native plants.
It takes a lot of time and effort to maintain an urban park. Currently, John Murphy and Stephen Oliner serve as the stewards for Contee-Parago Park. This spring they organized a group of neighbors to plant over 100 new plants and to do a spring cleaning of the park. Over the summer, the Contee-Parago watering team will take turns watering to make sure its beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees survive another Baltimore summer. If you haven’t already done so, stroll down to this jewel among Bolton Hill’s parks and take a moment to enjoy this beautiful space.
–Joyce Oliner
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