Dodge Park

Dodge Park was part of the land grant given to Captain John Dodge. It was known to have been a spot held as an Indian conference ground. Because of these historic facts, Dodge felt it would be of special interest to the community. It was used as a circus ground, a common and a pasture for more than fifty years.

 

Virginia Ve Dodge (grand-daughter of Captain John Dodge) asked the town council for the privilege of planting it with trees and shrubbery in order that it might be completed in her life time, according to the original intention of the donor. Miss Dodge was elected by vote of the people, park director.

 

In 1953, Russell Chadwick American Legion Post 389 erected a monument with the following inscription: "In memory of John Dodge, humanitarian who donated this park to the Village of Beverly". Most of the old trees planted by Miss Dodge have grown old and had to be removed. Some new plantings were made in 1976 as a project of the Beverly-Waterford Bicentennial Commission.

 

The band stand has been kept up since its inception. Restrooms have been added. The Lions Club and other organizations along with the village have built two shelters. Several picnic tables are available for use by the public during the summer months, and playground equipment for the use of the children.

 

The American Legion sponsors a "Homecoming" in the park in July each year which is a three night event and well attended. This takes the place of the old time homecoming with political speeches, band concerts and picnics for the whole families. Those good times are a thing of the past in most communities!

 

The Park is located just across from the Oliver Tucker Museum.

 

John Dodge, Esq.

John Dodge, Esq. was the son of Captain John Dodge and Susanna Morgan Dodge. He was born in Beverly, Massachusetts in 1784, and came as a child, with his parents to Marietta where they lived in the blockhouse during the Indian Wars. At the close of the war in late 1796, the home where he was reared was built by his father on the left bank of the Muskingum River, in what is now the town of Beverly, Ohio. He married his first wife, Mary Stone and had the following children: Dr. Israel Stone Dodge, Sidney, William A., Christopher, Eliza, Melissa and John Dodge, Jr.

 

Mrs. Dodge died in 1822 at the age of 35 years.

 

Dodge than married his second wife, Nancy N. Patterson of Virginia. She was the daughter of John and Rebecca Patterson who moved to Waterford early in 1800. The children of John and Nancy Dodge where Patterson O. Dodge and Colina N. Dodge who became the wife of S.B. Robinson, a lawyer in Beverly. Robinson became the prosecuting attorney of Washington County.John Dodge, Esq. died January 11, 1854 at the age of 69 years and is buried in Waterford Cemetery.