William and Louis Park

Located at 13^th and Patee, the one-acre green space of William and Louis Park offers a lovely scenic overlook. A description written in 1929 still holds true today, “While small, it is an ideal ‘lookout’ park from which a splendid view is had of the business district.” Today it offers grand views of downtown and is a favorite spot from which to watch air shows at Rosecrans Airport.

   William and Louis Park was created from a bequest to the City of St. Joseph from brothers William (Jan. 17, 1844-Feb. 19, 1920) and Louis (Feb. 1, 1842-Jan. 8, 1918) Huggins. The Huggins brothers were the sons of James and Mary Sublette Huggins; two of the most prominent of early St. Joseph citizens. An Irish immigrant, James made his first fortune as a rope manufacturer and merchant in Versailles and Louisville, Kentucky. He married Mary Sublette in 1828 when she was only 18 years old. Mary and James had eight children, but six died very young, leaving only William and Louis. The family moved to St. Joseph in 1858 and James died in 1864. His sons William and Louis accumulated a sizeable fortune in business in St. Joseph. Neither brother married. When William died in 1920, his will left charitable bequests totaling $240,000 and an addition $161,500 in personal bequests; among those bequests was a piece of land to become a park named after the brothers.

     In January 1921, the City Council passed an ordinance accepting the bequest and allocating $1,000 for the improvement of the site. The grading of the site used the initial allocation. George Burnap, the noted landscape architect, who drew up plans for the parks and parkways of St. Joseph in the 1920s included William and Louis Park in his plans. Burnap’s drawings called for the creation of a series of rock-walled terraces and hanging gardens reached by stone steps for a cost of between $25,000 - $30,000. The city did not have the funds to fulfill this ambitious plan.

     Under the terms of the bequest, the city was to develop the site as a park. In 1929, the executor of the Huggins estate sent a letter to the city asserting that the required improvements had not been made and threatening to take the park back. The Parks Department argued that it had fulfilled the terms of the will, and promised to undertake further development of the site when funds became available. In the early 1930s, further grading work at the site occurred and beautifications of the top of the hill were undertaken. 

“A Notable Lady,” St. Joseph Weekly Gazette, Jan. 26, 1897.

“Louis Huggins Died Early this Morning,” St. Joseph News Press, Jan. 8, 1918.

“William Huggins, Old Resident, Dead,” St. Joseph Gazette, Feb. 20, 1920.

Catholic Tribune, March 6, 1920.

“City May Lose Park,” St. Joseph News Press, June 12, 1929.

“Claim Terms of Will Observed,” St. Joseph Gazette, June 28, 1929.

“Hortense and Pansy,” St. Joseph Gazette, March 30, 1930.

“New Charity Plan Will Take Effect Monday Morning,” St. Joseph News Press, Nov. 19, 1932.

“Work All Winter,” St. Joseph Gazette, Nov. 27, 1932.

“Three New Developments Are Planned by Park Board,” St. Joseph Gazette, Jan. 11, 1934.

“William and Louis Park,” St. Joseph News Press, June 25, 1989.