Drake Park - City of Bend

Located in Downtown Bend, Drake Park is a historic park with a half mile of Deschutes River waterfront on Mirror Pond. Drake Park is where many of the city events take place with its central location, large open spaces, an outdoor stage, public restrooms and picnic tables. Paved pathways meander around the park with one bridge crossing the river to more open space on the other side. Community events including concerts, plays, festivals, farmers markets, the annual duck race and the Old Fashioned July 4th Celebration. All this and its just a block away from the downtown shops, galleries, and restaurants. Drake Park was established in 1921.

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The Address of Drake Park is NW Riverside Blvd.

History from a Kiosk in the Park

While Drake Park may be named for a man (Bend founder Alexander M. Drake), it was Mrs. May Arnold and other early women of Bend who are instrumental in its establishment. May Arnold personally gathered 1,500 signatures in a town of 5,415 people, convincing the Bend City Council to put the purchase of a park on the May 1920 ballot. The bond measure passed by an overwhelming 2-to-1 vote. Ten acres were then purchased from the Bend Company for $21,000. In June 1920, just one month after the land was purchased, the newly founded park board organized over 50 volunteers to pull weeds and clear underbrush to improve the park. One of the first events in the new city park was a trout feed for the State Grange Convention. Over 500 people from all over the State of Oregon attended on June 1, 1920. Business interests also advocated for a grand city park in Bend. Robert Sawyer, Editor of The Bend Bulletin, wrote, "the benefits to be derived from the creation of a park will more than outweigh the amount of taxation involved." Editors of the Brooks-Scanlon newsletter, The Deschutes Pine Echoes, were more enthusiastic in their appeal stating "the park in something we should all boost for. Get Busy! Talk the matter over with your friends and neighbors! Get after the city council and keep going until a city park is established." It would be difficult to imagine Bend without Drake Park. It was the foresight and efforts of early Bend residents advocating for the community interest and volunteering their time and resources that allows us to enjoy art festivals, concerts, and other celebrations in Drake Park today.

Horses and High Wheels Logging Display