Smitty Park (NW 44th & Billen), a little history

[DLD]

In 1966 our family moved to Oklahoma City and we lived near James Monroe Elementary. Along with my brothers and friends we enjoyed playing at what we knew as Smitty's Park. I guess the real name is Smitty Park. We would swim in the pool, play games in the small recreation building, play on the ball field down the hill, and explore the creek and woods.

A couple of years ago, I came across an old Daily Oklahoman article about a funeral for the man this park is named after. The article was dated March 7, 1964, and described a funeral service the day before. This led me to some other information I found online.

Smitty was killed in a car crash near Crescent, Oklahoma, on March 4, 1964, along with two others. He was 40 years old, and was survived by his wife and three daughters. His name was Bronnell Carol Smith, and he was born in Arkansas in 1923. By 1930, he and his family were living in Oklahoma CIty. He was a Cub Scout leader and Little League coach in programs organized at James Monroe Elementary. The boys all knew him as Smitty. The article in the Oklahoman notes that so many attended his funeral service at Garrison Funeral Home that many had to stand outside. He is buried at Rose Hill Burial Park.

The following information is from the OKC Parks and Recreation web page for Smitty Park:

As a youngster, Bronnell Smith found stability and support in sports and recreation programs, so he worked hard to provide
those same opportunities to boys and girls in this neighborhood as well. Smith organized and coached ball teams at nearby
Monroe Elementary School and served as a pack leader for the local Cub Scout troop. To the kids and parents in the
neighborhood, the beloved Smith was simply known as Smitty.

The land for this park was originally part of the Land Run homestead of Civil War veteran Abram George Mudgett, who became
a doctor despite partially losing his sight in the war. The city later acquired the land for the park in 1962 when the Deep Fork
River was channeled for flood control. Children and parents of the neighborhood petitioned the city to name it Smitty Park in
honor of Bronnell Smith in 1964.

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If you should visit Smitty Park, consider the impact one person had on so many people. I wish the park had a plaque explaining the life of the man it is named for; if there is one there I have not seen it when I visit. When my brothers and I were kids in the 1960's, there was an active Little League program. We were the Monroe Redbirds. In the summer there was a baseball rodeo, with ball games all day on the 3 or 4 fields at Monroe. Even though we arrived in Oklahoma City two years after Smitty died, I bet we were enjoying the fruits of his efforts when we played on those ball fields.

[Pete]

^

That is so awesome! Thanks very much for posting all that great information.

I actually live on Smitty Park and have the great fortune of looking out upon it from not only my backyard, but also my master bedroom and living room.

It's a beautiful, highly underrated park that stays quite busy with walkers, joggers, kids at the playground, soccer and baseball practice on the field, a quasi dog park for many, and even big birthday parties with bounce houses.

I knew there had been a pool. One of my neighbors has been here for 40 years so I've learned a lot through him.

I am only the 3rd owner of my house. I researched the people that came before me and it was very interesting.

[Pete]

This is from 1969; Smitty Park is in the lower left corner; you can see the pool:

[MagzOK]

We used to live very close and would get all three of our kids on our bikes and ride to Smitty's Park, play on the playground, and walk around on the path. Never knew the history and certainly didn't realize there was a pool there. Very neat.

[Pete]

We used to live very close and would get all three of our kids on our bikes and ride to Smitty's Park, play on the playground, and walk around on the path. Never knew the history and certainly didn't realize there was a pool there. Very neat.

There are at least 5 OKCTalkers that live very nearby; probably a lot more I don't know about.

[foodiefan]

There are at least 5 OKCTalkers that live very nearby; probably a lot more I don't know about.

OKC's "pocket neighborhoods" have some pretty amazing history!! Thanks for sharing!!

[turnpup]

We discovered Smitty Park just a couple of weeks ago and were pleased with how nice and peaceful it is. The big, mature trees look so pretty this time of year. I had no idea it was there until we happened upon it.

[Pete]

A couple of recent photos:

[Pete]

After a snow in February 2021:

[Urbanized]

It’s also a nice place to eat a quiet, secluded outdoor takeout lunch on a good weather day. Not a super easy park to find, so it’s usually pretty quiet.

[Pete]

It’s also a nice place to eat a quiet, secluded outdoor takeout lunch on a good weather day. Not a super easy park to find, so it’s usually pretty quiet.

If you eat at one of the two picnic tables not under the Gazebo, be sure to wave as my house is right there. In fact, my dogs will probably say hello.

[barrettd]

I grew up in the neighborhood in the 70/80s, went to Monroe, and we used to go swim at Smitty's a lot during the summer. We'd either walk, bike, or get dropped off, and spend literally all day there. That's the pool in which I learned to swim, taught by the lifeguards early in the morning before the daily sessions started. The bathrooms were AWFUL.

When we weren't in the pool, playing carom, or in the rec room, we were wading down in the creek, looking for crawdads, or wandering through the woods that lined the creek.

Then, in high school, it was a popular drinking spot...

[jompster]

We love waving to your dogs, Pete. Our youngest Pom, on the other hand, acts like your dogs will try to steal us. We can't win with that boy.

It really is an underrated park. We like popping around the corner and using it to get a few laps in when the weather is nice, and it's great for a picnic. My partner also plays Pokemon Go, so we end up there "taking down" the gym frequently. The other two Poms like to walk there since they've graduated from adult dogs to paw paws. The trees in there are awesome and it's tucked back in enough where you don't hear a ton of traffic noise. Had no idea there was a pool previously. There was someone car camping there for a bit, but I think that was the same fellow who was tent camping in our neighbor's back yard for a while.

[Pete]

There was someone car camping there for a bit, but I think that was the same fellow who was tent camping in our neighbor's back yard for a while.

Yes, that was John and he was in June's backyard for quite a while.

Nice man but he was a complete mess with mental and addiction issues. She ultimately had to have him forcibly removed after being nice enough to take him in, or at least her backyard as he absolutely refused to come inside even when temps were down in the single digits. I became pretty close with his dog Aspen; she got out several times and came straight to my front porch. John can make decisions for himself but I worry about Aspen.

[Celebrator]

"Smitty was killed in a car crash near Crescent, Oklahoma, on March 4, 1964, along with two others. He was 40 years old, and was survived by his wife and three daughters."

I looked him up on Find-A-Grave, and what's so sad, is that his wife, only 42-43, passed in 1966! Wonder what the story was there, but hopefully his daughters were cared for by family after that. Tragic childhood for those daughters.

[Pete]

This happened early this morning, around 5 AM.

I somehow slept through this whole thing but you can see my house in the copter shots (it's not the one with the trampoline). This RV was stolen near Broadway Extention and somehow ended up here and they did arrest the guy. Everything is now back to normal apart from a fence that needs repairing.

I love backing up to the park as it's home to ball teams, kids playing, birthday parties, impromptu dog park stuff... But at the same time, I'm happy the drainage channel serves as an effective moat; crazy things can happen in public parks.

[BoulderSooner]

that is wild pete

[turnpup]

Smitty Park is far enough off the beaten path that I'm not sure how the guy even wound up there during the police chase.

[Pete]

Smitty Park is far enough off the beaten path that I'm not sure how the guy even wound up there during the police chase.

One of the things I love about my neighborhood is that due to the drainage channel and several ponds, it deviates from the standard grid where every street runs parallel or perpendicular and goes through.

So, a lot of the roads are circuitous and dead end, including Villa which is a half section line thoroughfare.

I walk a ton and am often stopped by motorists who can't find their way back out... How often does that happen in OKC?

[barrettd]

As much time as I spent at Smitty's growing up, I don't think I've ever been in the neighborhood over on your side. Honestly never gave it much thought!

Yes, the moat must come in helpful. You can watch the entertainment from a safe distance!