Perched on a sloping hillside in the heart of historic downtown Macon, Washington Park finds company among the stately homes and flowering Magnolias on the corner of College Street and Washington Avenue. Named for James H.R. Washington, who served as Macon’s mayor in 1851, the park sits right next door to the Washington Memorial Library, which also bears his name.   

Jackie Jones of Crawford County has been regularly coming to Washington Park for more than a decade.  On one recent day she brought her infant daughter along. Jones said it’s an excellent spot to picnic and take photos. It’s also a place to cool off.  The park is covered in canopy of trees. The tallest and most prominent are the two lush palm trees situated on the base of the hillside.

There are also numerous water features, including fountains, stone-lined streams and waterfalls.

“When we think about Washington, we think about how it has become an essential environmental tool,” said Macon-Bibb County Commissioner Paul W. Bronson, who represents district two,  where Washington Park is located. He noted “the aesthetics it brings to the surrounding area and recreational benefits with its cooling effect.”

Over the streams are ornate cobblestone bridges, which connect to paved brick walkways made of the very same brick that once lined the streets of Macon.