Grant Beach Park is one of north Springfield’s oldest neighborhood parks, originally acquired by the park board in 1914 as Woolen Mills Park, named after a mill that once operated on the site. In 1915, it was renamed Grant Beach Park after Grant Avenue, and the sandy “beach” created along a spring-fed swimming lake formed by damming a nearby stream. The park quickly became a popular gathering place for the surrounding neighborhood and has remained a recreational anchor for more than a century, later adding a pavilion, athletic facilities, and the historic Railroad Historical Museum centered around a preserved Frisco locomotive installed in 1953.

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Grant Beach Park is a neighborhood hub featuring a pool and proximity to local schools. Planning efforts will address school-park coordination, modernizing pool facilities, and integrating the nearby railroad museum while ensuring the park remains accessible and welcoming.