Community
A park is a gift only as long as someone looks after it. These are the groups that have, since 1906.
Since 2014
The neighborhood association for the blocks around the park, founded in September 2014. It plants the floral nameplate, hangs the holiday garlands, places historical markers, runs the annual rummage sale, wins city grants for boulevard trees, and commissioned the 2020 park master plan. Nine board members; general email friendsofmckennanpark@gmail.com.
The Friends pageSince 1920
Voters approved a city band in 1919, in the first municipal election open to women, and its first concert drew several thousand to this park on July 11, 1920. Russell Henegar, formerly of the Sousa Band, led it for 29 seasons; Leland Lillehaug added the first women musicians in 1964. It still plays the band shell every summer.
Season scheduleBand shell donor, 1926
The service club took the Municipal Band's idea for a permanent shell and built it as a gift to the city, dedicated July 4, 1926, before ten thousand people.
Operator
Owns and runs the park: the gardens, the pool, the rink, the Mondays at McKennan concert series, shelter reservations and band shell and wedding bookings.
City park pageMarkers 1999 to 2003
Placed the Municipal Band, Park Born in Controversy, Pillars of the Nation and Lady Liberty markers with the city's Board of Preservation and private donors.
Marker grants
The Daughters of the American Revolution chapter whose foundation helped fund the three newest markers with the city's Neighborhood Association Program.
Liberty, 1943
Raised the public subscription that bought Charles Sells's wooden Statue of Liberty for the park in 1943.
July, 31 seasons
Children's theater at the band shell each July, in its 31st season in 2026: skits built on children's stories, fairy tales, costumes and dance. Family Theater in the Parks also plays here; all shows are free and weather dependent.
Neighbors to the west
The adjoining neighborhood association, host of the winter Hotdish Competish that McKennan Park neighbors attend each January.
Neighbor since 1911
Founded with the $25,000 Helen McKennan left for a hospital, dedicated December 17, 1911, on ground northeast of the park. Four of its first doctors built homes facing the park.
Avera McKennanGet involved
Residents of the McKennan Park neighborhood can join the association that plants the nameplate, hangs the lights and runs the rummage sale. Everything about the Friends.
The picnic shelter seats a family reunion and reserves online through the city. The band shell and the sunken garden book through Parks and Recreation at 605-367-7060.
The Municipal Band holds auditions; community performers and children's theater fill the July calendar. Ask Parks and Recreation about the band shell schedule.
This site is built from public records and corrections are welcome. If your family has photographs of the park, the Siouxland Heritage Museums archive accepts donations and the Friends keep a history page.
