Goodale Park

Overview

Goodale Park is a 32.56 acre regional park in the Victorian Village community.

History

Goodale Park’s history goes back to the early 1800s, when Franklin County was battling malaria, cholera, and typhoid fever. The county’s first physician, Dr. Lincoln Goodale, advocated for open spaces to improve public health. In 1851, Goodale donated 44 acres to the city of Columbus to create Goodale Park. It was one of the first parks of its kind in the country. Dr. Goodale restricted the land’s use, stating in the deed that “Goodale Park shall be forever kept and preserved, as a public park or pleasure ground for the free and common use of the inhabitants of said city of Columbus.” When the city used the park as a temporary camp for Civil War soldiers in 1861, Dr. Goodale wrote to City Council threatening to take back the land if it wasn’t used to his specifications. The soldiers were relocated.

Goodale Park has changed substantially over the years. In the 1870s, it hosted a menagerie. Two lakes were constructed, and visitors boated on them until 1920. In 1969, the west lake was filled. A circular carriage path was installed in 1860 and removed in 1955. The shelter house and adjoining caretaker’s residence was built in 1912, featuring an open breezeway between two sections. This breezeway was enclosed in 1974 to provide year-round space. The Flagg Memorial honoring an association of traveling salespeople was installed in 1907, relocated outside of the park in 1949, and returned to Goodale Park in 2012.

Parking/Directions

Goodale Park’s parking lots are located off of Park Street and Dennison Avenue. For public transportation options, please visit https://ride.cota.com/#/.