A plan unveiled in 1920 by Mayor William T. Lisenby incorporated public open space that included the current location of Willow Springs, a 200 acre "Water Lands Park." It was envisioned as being a "second to none in the state," with three miles of walking paths and two miles of scenic parkways to accommodate growing interest in leisure motoring.
The city of Long Beach engaged husband-and-wife architect team Charles W. and Helen D. Deusner, whose design is shown on this page. Their plan, when combined with Lisenby's vision, called for an outdoor theater, athletic fields, a golf course and a public swimming pool. It extended from Arabella (currently 27th St.) to Wardlow St. and from Cherry Ave. to what is now Long Beach Blvd. The park was to have a boathouse with watercraft for rent and a grand entrance on the western side of Willow Springs, tunneled through the railroad embankment. Backers dubbed it the "Golden Gate Park of Southern California." Designs for the park came along more slowly than some would have liked, so much that a local politician prodded the city's outgoing administration to finalize the plans and begin construction so the project would not be scuttled. However, the park's fate was sealed by the news on the cover of Dec 1, 1921's Daily Telegram: 200 acres of City land in this area could accommodate 40 oil wells, each capable of producing 1,000 barrels per day. The city felt that it was a lucrative tradeoff at the expense of the local residents. Forty percent of the oil revenue would go to the city--a projected $8 million per year, four times the City's annual budget. City manager Charles E. Hewes promptly dropped plans for the park. The financial projections ultimately proved overly optimistic and oil production peaked in 1923. However, the site continues to yield crude oil and money for the city of Long Beach. The park's proposal was completely forgotten until the drawing shown here was rediscovered in a city hall storeroom in 2017. Of the original 200 acres, only 48 remain. |