Swope Park

Swope Park is a 1,769-acre [ [http://www.experiencekc.com/parks.html ExperienceKc.com profile] ] city park within the city of Kansas City, Missouri. It is the 29th-largest municipal park in the United States [http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/TPL_100LargestParks.pdf] , and the largest park in Kansas City. It is named in honor of Colonel Thomas H. Swope, a philanthropist who donated the land to the city in 1896. In the 1,769 acres, it hosts Starlight Theatre (a 8,000+ seat outdoor theater, also the temporary home of the annual Jewel Ball), the Kansas City Zoological Park, two golf courses, ten shelter houses and a host of other things, including baseball diamonds, soccer fields, a swimming pool, and a frisbee golf course.

Also located in the park is Lakeside Nature Center, which hosts many local species of animals, as well as treatment of wild Missouri native species which are brought in, that are released when they have recovered. Only a small part of the park is developed, the rest is heavily wooded. The main shelter house is located at 66th street and Swope Parkway.

The park is mentioned prominently in the fictional works of Robert A. Heinlein, who grew up in and around Kansas City.

References

External links

* [http://www.kcmo.org/parks.nsf/web/swope Official park website]
* [http://www.kansascityzoo.org/ Kansas City Zoo]
* [http://www.kcstarlight.com/ Starlight Theatre]
* [http://www.lakesidenaturecenter.org/ Lakeside Nature Center]