Letter to the Editor: Please don’t move my uncle Wilson Pettibone’s memorial in Hannibal’s Riverview Park

I’ve recently become aware of an anticipated major renovation of Riverview Park. Although much needs to be done to restore the park to some of its original vision, and there are some interesting ideas in the proposed Master Plan, a couple of things in particular greatly concern me.

Most importantly, I learned that the memorial to my great uncle Wilson B. Pettibone, a special appreciation honoring his gift of Riverview Park to the city of Hannibal, may be moved to a remote location. 

I’m familiar with the site suggested by park designer Andy Franke. I’ve watched many trains cross the Mississippi from it. However, it is not a welcoming spot. Walkers will find it a fine place to pause and admire the spacious river view, but cars do not stop there. An additional four parking spaces to encourage stopping really does nothing but add further pavement to an already over-paved park. This location for Uncle Will’s memorial detracts from the honor he deserves because I imagine, simply said, it would attract little interest from the visiting public. 

You may not realize my Uncle Will’s gifts to Hannibal were numerous. He gave a wing of Levering Hospital, playgrounds to all public schools, LJ Pettibone Memorial School and the land (80 acres) for Camp OkoTipi. Hannibal’s citizens and visitors have benefited from his generosity for almost 100 years.

I am requesting that the memorial location be reconsidered. It seems reasonable that everyone, including walkers, drivers, horseback riders and bikers, has an easy opportunity to recognize who gave this spectacular, 465-acre park to Hannibal. Wouldn’t it be fitting if the memorial were in a more prominent location, perhaps at the entrance to the park? 

I appreciate your serious consideration of this proposal.

The Riverview Park master plan has way too much paving, a grave distraction from Uncle Will’s and O.C. Simonds’ goals to preserve the natural beauty of the land and its magnificent vistas of the mighty Mississippi. “Paved trails” sounds like an abomination. Perhaps rather than cement, I would hope the creation of sidewalks and the paving of trails will be done with natural stone like flagstone or slate, pavers or gravel, all of which would provide convenient, yet beautiful surfaces.

I highly recommend a 100 percent carry-in / carry-out policy to reduce trash management costs and encourage visitors’ responsibility to contribute to the care and beauty of the park. This also eliminates the eyesore of garbage bins and containers. 

Ann Pettibone
New York City