Jeffers Park / Jeffers Park

The Jeffers Memorial Fountain and Park was dedicated on May 30, 1906, and named for real estate developer and early Saginaw settler Michael Jeffers (1831-1904). His heirs donated the land, then a block of storefronts, to the city for a park and water fountain in his memory. Designed by Roy Merriam, the fountain was built of Barre granite from Vermont by the local firm of Anson Hobson. The sculptures were cast by the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Company of New York City. When Jeffers Park opened, the surrounding area was densely built, and Saginaw’s water was taken mostly from the river. A “breathing spot in the hot days of summer,” the park also provided residents of Saginaw access to clean water sourced from a deep well and chilled by two tons of stored ice. Communal tin drinking cups were replaced by a bubbler in 1915. The park has served as a place for public events and civic activity. Restoration of the park was completed in 2012.