Maria Pellegrino Park
| Maria Pellegrino Park | |
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| Type | Municipal park |
| Location | Marble Hill, Missouri, 63764 United States |
| Coordinates | 37°18′16″N 89°59′19″W / 37.3045°N 89.9885°WCoordinates: 37°18′16″N 89°59′19″W / 37.3045°N 89.9885°W |
| Area | 31 acres (13 ha) |
| Elevation | 479 ft (146 m) |
| Created | June 4, 1972 |
| Founder | Frank P. Pellegrino |
| Owned by | City of Marble Hill |
| Website | Pellegrino Park |
Maria Pellegrino Park is a municipal park in the western of portion of Marble Hill, Missouri. The park is the largest of the five reserves in the municipality. Pellegrino Park features tennis courts, pavilions, playground equipment, picnic tables, restroom facilities, forest, and a two acre lake for fishing. The park began planning in 1969 and was established in 1972 on 31 acres of city owned land. The park was founded by Frank Pellegrino, the former president and chairman of the International Hat Company of St. Louis. The company operated one of its factories in Marble Hill until 1989, employing approximately 300 people. The park was built on land donated by the company located directly adjacent to International Hat's manufacturing plant. Pellegrino named the park in honor of his Italian-American mother, Maria Pellegrino. The plaque located at the entrance gate reads that the park is dedicated to her "as an expression of her concern for the betterment of her fellowman."
In 1969, Frank P. Pellegrino, president and chairman of the International Hat Company, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, made an offer to establish a new municipal park in Lutesville. The city was chosen by Pellegrino because of the International Hat factory located nearby, as a gift of appreciation to the local employees and townspeople. He believed in improving the quality of life in the places where his factories were built. This was the second park Pellegrino had built in a city with an International Hat factory, the first being George Tilles, Jr. Park in Oran, Missouri in 1962.
Pellegrino donated the land in 1969, agreeing to fund the development of the recreational facilities, park roads, playground equipment, a small pavilion shelter, and tree planting. At the time of its donation to the city, the land was an empty field. Construction of the park began in earnest, in 1970, following voter approval of Pellegrino's gift of land and cash to the city of Lutesville and Marble Hill. The two acre lake was completed by February 1971. Additionally, a road was cleared around the perimeter of the lake by that same month. The initial fifteen picnic tables were funded by a grant from the US federal government and were constructed by employees the Office of Economic Opportunity. While only one pavilion was originally slated for construction, a larger pavilion was added to the plans in 1971, after a late donation of funds by the board of the International Hat Company. According to the first Pellegrino Park board president, Gene Ward, it was decided that the large pavilion would be named the Frank Pellegrino Shelter, in honor of Pellegrino's 50 years of service for the International Hat Company.
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