Washington Park
The Heart of Buffalo

Summertime is easy and the swimmin' is free! For travelers who enjoy swimming as a great way to exercise and beat the summer heat, head for Buffalo's Washington Park and its outdoor pool. This popular recreational spot is located in the center Buffalo, Wyoming at the intersection of I-25 N. and I-90. It was named "George Washington Park" on the 200th anniversary of Washington's birth in 1932. A retired teacher remembers how elementary school children were encouraged to plant a tree honoring the event.

In 1933 the City of Buffalo received an offer for relief aid from President Franklin Roosevelt's Public Works Administration. In addition to city hall repairs and road graveling, the grant included improvemenets to the city park. With the money, tennis buffs were able to pursue the game they loved, musicians could perform in the newly erected band shell and country kids joined their city cousins at the playground area. At the same time the grounds across the creek from the pool area were made available for free overnight camping and picnicking on the tables in the park. The site drew tourists from all over the country in the days before recreational vehicles and big chain motel facilities.

The original municipal swimming pool was made by improving the pond that was the source of ice in Buffalo's historic pre-refrigerator days. The skating pond was filled with water from a ditch leading from Clear Creek. Improvements to make a swimming area available were begun in 1921. Brought in line with modern standards by a civic minded community two decades ago, the park and pool is the community's recreational hub. Ask most any local child where the park's "curvy slide" is and you'll probably learn about the footbridge over the sparkling waters of Clear Creek which actually divides the park in half. The quaint little bridge also connects the picnic area and the recreational sites.

The water facilities have long been cared for by the local garden club. Just a block west of Main Street, the well-manicured grass, trees and shrubs literally call out to passersby to come relax a while. The spring-fed pool is the largest in Wyoming and big enough that there's plenty of room for everyone. For the toddlers whose swimming skills are still "under construction" there's an attractive wading pool that meets even the diaper crowd's needs. Many of the town's older generation regularly gather to pitch horseshoes in the shade of a century-old cottonwood tree. If you don't pitch horseshoes, swim, play tennis, or enjoy swings and curvy slides the park is just the place for a leisurely walk. The eight-mile long Clear Creek paved walking path follows the creek from the foot of what the Indians called "The Shining Mountains" (a/k/a The Bighorns) to Buffalo's historic downtown area. One suggestion--get a fishing license and take your pole. Along the way you'll see youngsters of all ages, even toddlers and the kid in you will cry out to join them.