Spring Valley park, lying in a natural canyon and once the site of an old rock quarry, had six springs bursting from its limestone walls when it was taken over by the park board in 1902. Hundreds drank the cool refreshing waters which joined to form a small lake, especially enjoyed by ice-skaters in winter. The irregularly shaped park at Twenty-seventh street and Woodland avenue contains 33 acres acquired in several parcels and is now connected to Troost park by a strip of land purchased in 1930. It is said the grounds were a watering place for the Mormons on their way form Illinois. One spring trickled down form the great limestone ledge from a cavern which was said to extend underground to Prospect avenue. The mouth of the cave is obliterated and the site forgotten. Springs and lake have also disappeared, but there are picnic facilities, playground equipment and baseball fields. And the diagonal roadway still traverses the scenic valley, flanked by the low cliffs and towering sycamore trees, whose roots were first sustained by the plentiful water of Spring valley. Kansas City Times, November 2, 1968. Speaking the Public Mind - You may imagine my surprise when I picked up The Kansas City Times of November 2 while visiting in Washington, D.C., and saw my picture of 63 years ago, standing by the spring in Spring Valley park. It was on the editorial page in the column Post Card From Old K.C. My name was Adah Patrick then and my friend with the bucket in her hand on the right side of the picture, was Hazel Himes. We were students at Westport high school. Hazel lived nearby and we had gone for a walk to the spring when a photographer asked us to stand still, and took the picture. I remember having on a new pink chambray dress. Later we saw the picture on post cards sold at the drug store and dime store, and sent some to friends. Long ago Hazel and I lost track of each other and I do not know where she is now. I am 79 years old and have The Star forwarded to me whenever I am out of town. I enjoy the old post card series. Mrs. Otto BeltzKansas City, Kansas. Kansas City Star, November 18, 1968.
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