John Shearer: Exploring and Searching For Greenways, Part 12 – The Unique Jack Benson Heritage Park

  • Friday, July 17, 2020
  • John Shearer

The Jack Benson Heritage Park has an interesting name that perhaps causes someone who has never been there to wonder what it is.

 

A person who does not ever follow the local news or has just moved to Chattanooga might also wonder where it is.

 

For those who don’t know, the park is located on Jenkins Road a few hundred feet north of East Brainerd Road.

As a result of its location in an area where commercial development has greatly surrounded what was already an established residential area, it would be considered a very welcome green oasis if all it offered was a patch of two of grass.

 

But it actually has 22 acres of grass and trees, as well as a nice creek, a wetlands pond in one corner, three bridges, a barn, some fenced-in areas for dogs to run, a playground, and – yes – a colonnaded mansion.

 

As a result, it is one of Chattanooga’s most unique city parks, and a good example of how to recreate a park in an already developed area.

 

Most parks usually come out of a vacant area near the city core that has never been developed or was the site of a place now gone. Or they might be formerly rural pieces of acreage in areas starting to be surrounded by development on the fringes of a city.  

 

Chances are the Heritage Park site was not envisioned as a park a half century ago, even if the residents of that home and their visitors greatly enjoyed the nice aesthetics there.

 

But it is like an estate for all to now enjoy, and this seems to make it a good asset. One can drop by there and feel like he or she is on the grounds of a mini-Biltmore – without having to pay an admission fee!

 

Although I don’t have walk-in access to the local history section of the Chattanooga Public Library due to the pandemic, by just digging a little online, I wondered if the home was the residence of the Dr. George Henshall Jr. family.

 

He had practiced radiology in Chattanooga from 1950 until his death from cardiovascular disease in 1983 at the age of 68. The University of Chattanooga graduate had served in the Army Medical Corps in the South Pacific during World War II. He was also a member of First Presbyterian Church.

 

His wife, Faith, who was a nurse and met him during World War II, died in 2011 at the age of 91.

 

An obelisk marker with the name Henshall on it sits between the home and barn, although its use is unknown. Dr. Henshall and his wife are buried at Chattanooga’s National Cemetery.  

 

The land had also served as the site of the upscale Narrow Bridge restaurant for a number of years. A fire at the closed facility in 2008 resulted in its demolition, and the space was incorporated into the park.

 

The park had opened in 2003, when then-Councilman Jack Benson from District 4 worked with Friends of East Brainerd to convert the acreage into a passive recreation area. The home was renovated and is now used for gatherings and special events during normal times. Also, when the park originally opened, a gazebo was constructed and fenced space for a leashless dog park was created.

 

A contest to name the park was won by then-first-grader Tara Springston.

 

In 2017, the late Mr. Benson’s name was added to the park’s official name after a push by former Mayor Ron Littlefield and other friends of Mr. Benson and by the approval of the Chattanooga City Council.

 

Years ago when I worked at the Chattanooga Free Press and a few years before he ran for the City Council, I interviewed Mr. Benson at his office about the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters program he then headed.

 

I have actually only been to the Jack Benson Heritage Park twice. The first was in the summer of 2019, when I had to spend the night with my wife, Laura, at one of the medical facilities on Gunbarrel Road when she was having some routine surgery, and I got up and jogged there in the morning.

 

The second was this past Monday, on what was a nice and sunny – and hot – day, when I decided to take pictures of it for another story in my series.

 

If I lived closer than the Hixson area near Northgate Mall, I would no doubt frequent it more often, although it just took me a little more than 15 minutes to get there Monday.

 

While basically a flat piece of acreage, it is certainly aided by some nice amenities. It has a nice big grassy field in the front that might be more appealing during milder times of year, due to its limited shade.

 

There is a nice black walnut tree as one moves closer to the house, and a number of older trees next to the creek.

 

Speaking of the creek, it was quite an attraction on the warm afternoon I was there. It is a pretty stream with rocks and easy accessibility, and several parents were there with small children enjoying cooling off in the shallow water.

 

This is no doubt a perfect swimming pool constructed by nature, especially on this day!

 

The creek also has some nice rocks for sitting or climbing next to the water on the south end.

 

Three bridges span the creek, with the longest and widest in the middle. A smaller bridge sits on the north end.

 

I then went up to the house and looked at the front of it. While designed to look like an older home – complete with nice Corinthian columns – it is likely from the mid-20th century.

 

It looked like part of the area at the bottom of the roof was damaged on one side, perhaps during the tornado. Two or three tree stumps were also apparent near Jenkins Road, also possibly due to the storm.

 

I then walked past the nice-but-basic gazebo on the south side of the home and looked at the neat red barn, which also had a mid-century look. It might have housed horses at one point, which was popular for those who had a little acreage at that time.

 

I then walked over where the old wooden frame bridge sits across the creek on the southwest corner and enjoyed the peaceful setting above the creek – although I think I could hear sounds from the nearby Bruster’s ice cream store.

 

And yes, I started craving an ice cream cone as a result!

 

Barricades are up to prevent automobiles from going through there on the other side of the bridge.

 

I then began walking east through a couple of small cleared areas covered in grass and featuring a few trees. They are likely not frequented by most of the park visitors, and I enjoyed the solitary setting.

 

The only drawback seemed to be a few too many Bradford pear trees that had no doubt quickly sprung up at some point. Some fruit-bearing pear trees or hardwoods might have been better.

 

I then continued walking east and slightly north past some more nice and grassy and tree-covered areas, and then looked at the small wetland pond in the southeast corner of the park. It was pretty.

 

I was hoping not to see a snake along the water’s edge and fortunately did not. I did see a pretty great blue heron across the water. Like the human visitors, it seemed to be enjoying a little R and R. Or maybe it was wanting to enjoy a picnic of fish or rodents!

 

After I left there, my walk – which was now starting to produce a sweaty shirt – concluded with a quick glance at the large dog park spaces, the playground equipment, the mystery Henshall marker, and the back of the home.

 

I then crossed the main middle bridge and examined the nice rocks along the west side of the creek, no doubt realizing I would have been on them a lot if I had grown up on that land.

 

After getting back in my car and turning right on East Brainerd Road toward the Interstate, I noticed an undeveloped and overgrown piece of land with possibly a home or building for sale just across Jenkins Road from the park.

 

Heritage Park II, anyone?

 

It might be nice to expand the park, I thought, and maybe put in another bridge of the pedestrian kind linking them, although that land is likely being marketed for some kind of commercial or dense residential development.

 

But I was thankful for this one nice park space that complements well the large acreage of the Chattanooga Audubon Society’s Audubon Acres a little south and provides some nice additional greenspace for this part of town.

 

If the Jack Benson Heritage Park were out in the country, it would still be considered a nice place. But because it is located near a sea of asphalt, heavy automobile traffic, and numerous commercial buildings and stoplights, it is a real gem for East Brainerd.

 

* * * * *

 

To see the previous story in this series, read here.

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2020/6/17/410668/John-Shearer-Exploring-And-Searching.aspx

 

* * * * *

 

Jcshearer2@comcast.net

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