9/22/97
By Bev Darr
Courier-Post Staff Writer

Riverview Park's 240 acres of nearly undisturbed nature has offered Hannibal residents and their visitors picturesque views of the Mississippi River along with all the other advantages of a park for nearly 100 years, and has continued to be maintained as ordered by its donor.

Wilson B. Pettibone - who has been identified as Hannibal's greatest philanthropist for his numerous donations - and his wife Laura donated the park property to Hannibal in 1909.

Two books of local history, "The Story of Hannibal" and its successor, "Hannibal, Too," by J. Hurley and Roberta Hagood, provide details about the park's origin.

Most of the following facts were collected from these two books.

Several parcels of land a mile and a half northwest of the downtown area were donated by the Pettibones as a natural park for the city of Hannibal. Throughout his lifetime, W.B. Pettibone added improvements.

The property, landscaping and early maintenance cost a total of $125,000. The park was enlarged by two gifts from Pettibone. In 1924 he gave 25 acres, and in 1928 he added another 42 acres.

Riverview Park was named by Pettibone. Because he wanted it to remain a natural spot, almost primitive, free of houses and structures, he bought a number of parcels of land as buffer zones.

In January 1909, Pettibone made the formal presentation to the city, with the following rules:

• The park was named Riverview Park.
• A gift of $5,000 was provided to the governing board for driveways, footways and other improvements in the park.
• The conduct of and management of the park would always be free of political, religious or social issues or any issues that would generate bias or discrimination.
• A governing board of nine Hannibal citizens would control and supervise the park. And if the city should ever have a park board, and the city would provide proper management and sufficient funds for the upkeep of the park, the control and supervision of the park could be transferred to the city.

Pettibone kept a close eye on the landscaping, which was designed by O.C. Simonds, an Englishman and member of a Chicago landscape firm.

Shrubs and trees with a high survival rate were chosen, such as hawthorne trees, which produce the state flower. Trails and roads were part of the landscaping plans.

Burlington Railroad paid the city $10,000 to place tracks along the riverfront, and this cash was given to the first Park Board to use for landscaping in the park in 1909.

The first park board was composed of Pettibone and Capt. J.C. Lewis, George D. Clayton, J.J. Cruikshank, George A. Mahan, J. P. Richards, John E. Jones, J.P. Hinton and H.A. Lowe.

A caretaker was employed and a house on the edge of the park was renovated for him.

The City of Hannibal owned 17 acres adjoining the park, and the Hannibal Water Co. built a water filter plant and reservoir on this property.

Rest rooms, picnic areas, tables and a playground were added in this area, but it was not part of the park.

Concrete steps were added from Soap Hollow to Tunnel Hill so walkers could enter the park from River Road.

In 1911 the Commercial Club received funds from the state of Missouri for a statue of Mark Twain to be placed in the park. Delays in deciding the exact location resulted in this funding being lost, but in 1913 the state provided $10,000 and the Mark Twain statue was placed on a high spot overlooking the river. The statue was created by Frederick Hibbard, who did many large single-figure statues in Missouri.

Riverview Park has been the scene of many Easter egg hunts, a tradition that began in 1923 with the Hannibal Lions Club as sponsored and is currently sponsored by the Early Bird Kiwanis Club.

In 1923, the Lions Club hid 3,300 eggs, and the following year 10,000 people came to watch children hunt for 12,000 hidden eggs. President Calvin Coolidge sent eggs in 1925, and 22,000 people watched the Easter egg hunt. Boy Scouts helped control the crowds, and it was taped by Fox News Service. Live rabbits were given as gifts.

Mark Twain Avenue and Harrison Hill were paved in 1924 because of the popularity of the park.

In summer 1934, during a period of intense heat and drought, many Hannibal families took blankets and slept in the park to seek relief from the heat.

When W.B. Pettibone died Oct. 21, 1946, he left a $200,000 trust fund to provide for upkeep of Riverview Park, along with smaller amounts to Pettibone School and several other agencies.

On Aug. 20, 1980, the park became the responsibility of the Hannibal Parks and Recreation Department, and it has continued to be operated by the rules established by Pettibone.