Leeper Park Explained

Leeper Park
Nrhp Type:hd
Nocat:yes
Location:Roughly bounded by St. Joseph R, Park Ln., and Bartlett St., South Bend, Indiana
Coordinates:41.6864°N -86.2519°W
Built:, 1905, 1912
Architect:Kessler, George Edward
Architecture:Victorian landscape
Added:June 15, 2000
Refnum:00000679

Leeper Park is a historic public park and national historic district located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. The district encompasses four contributing buildings, nine contributing structures, and one contributing object in a public park. It was designed by landscape architect George Kessler, who issued the master plan for the park in 1915. Later improvements to the park were made by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s.[1]

Leeper Park is named for David R. Leeper who was elected Mayor of South Bend in 1892.

The Navarre Cabin, home of Pierre Navarre, an early settler of South Bend, was relocated to the park in 1904,[1] and relocated out of the park in 2024.[2] [3]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) . Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology . Searchable database. 2016-07-01. Note: This includes Web site: National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Leeper Park. 2016-07-01. Malcolm Cairns. PDF. January 1998. and Accompanying photographs
  2. News: Michael. Clubb. PHOTOS: Navarre Cabin towed through downtown South Bend as it relocates to The History Museum. South Bend Tribune. May 15, 2024. May 18, 2024.
  3. News: Natacha. Casal. Historic Navarre Cabin makes major move to The History Museum. WNDU-TV. May 15, 2024. May 18, 2024.