Fell Park 125th Celebration

The Town of Normal is celebrating the 125th Anniversary of Fell Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17 with a farmers’ market, food, kids zone, live music and historical exhibitors.

Fell Park is Normal’s oldest public park and was donated by Jesse W. Fell to the Town for public use in the late 1880’s. Jesse Fell became known as one of the “founding fathers” of Normal, Illinois. The two acres of land Fell donated are believed to be originally used as a public farmers market.

In 1898, Fell’s widow sold the land to Normal for $1 and demanded the park be used for public recreation despite the water tower built on the property to meet the water demands of the growing community. Part of the water tower still sits on the park today, which has made it a landmark for the Town of Normal. The park was later dedicated to Jesse Fell in 1922 by the Women’s Improvement League.