In 1910 a large track which was used for horse racing and automobile racing was built here. The track closed a short time later due to the chaos of the Mexican Revolution. In the 1920s when the residential development of Condesa began in earnest, two of the neighborhood's prettiest streets, Avenida Amsterdam (where my apartment is), and Avenida México were laid out as two concentric ovals following the general outline of the old racetrack. The area within Avenida México became a park in 1927, one of the earliest examples of urban park planning in the city.
Nearly ninety years later, Parque México remains a pleasant green area always filled with people strolling, jogging, walking their dogs, or just sitting on the benches.
One of the prettiest features of the park is its duck pond and fountain.
This clock tower, at the southern end of the park, was a gift from the city's Armenian community.
Throughout the park there are signs which date from 1927 which educate the public on how they should behave in the park. Although the language today sounds quite stilted, the messages are still very pertinent and necessary.
"Respect for the trees, plants and lawn is an unequivocal sign of culture."
"Throwing trash or fruit peels speaks very badly of the
culture and urbanity of any person."
The focal point of the park is a large outdoor theater in art deco style known as the Foro Lindbergh. (In the late 1920s, the aviator Charles Lindbergh was an international hero. In 1927 throngs of residents welcomed him when he made a good-will flight to Mexico City. It was on that visit that he met his future wife, Anne Morrow, the wife of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico.)
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The theater had become badly deteriorated and sadly covered with graffiti. In 2013 the area was barricaded off, and work began on a restoration of the Foro Lindbergh.
I never knew of the "official" name of Parque México. In fact, it even shows as Parque México on maps. Interesting. I'm glad they are restoring Foro Lindbergh. Let's hope they preserve the design and just do a repair and refresh. The whole art deco theme is one of things I love about Condesa. I'd love to have an art deco house, but it has to be someplace besides Boston which is a very un-art deco kind of place.
ReplyDeleteSaludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where instead of art deco we have a very traditional, dark-wood kind of house.
As far as I know they are preserving the original art-deco design. Since the INAH has placed the park on the list of the city's cultural treasures, I would think that they would have to maintain it as it was... but of course one never knows!
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