Carthage Historic Preservation, Inc.
Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 375 | Carthage, MO  64836
Phelps House:  1146  Grand Avenue, Carthage, MO
417.358.1776

Carter Park was a generous gift to the city from Civil War veteran and physician John A. Carter (1833-1913).  Arriving in Carthage in 1865, Dr. Carter was, for a time, the only physician in town.  With earnings from his medical practice, he began acquiring land which steadily increased in value and eventually made him a wealthy man.

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Originally part of Dr. Carter’s farm, Carter Park covers approximately eight acres.  To the east lies the Battle of Carthage State Historic Site, where the final skirmish of the July 5, 1861, battle took place.  The park’s northern entrance on River Street is marked by a Carthage Marble gateway, originally located at Cassil Place and later relocated to the park.

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Following World War I, Carter Park was transformed into a Tourist Camp for travelers along the Jefferson Highway, one of the first long-distance international highways, stretching 2,300 miles from Winnipeg, Canada, to New Orleans, Louisiana.  The Carter Tourist Camp welcomed motorists with amenities such as cabins, rock shelters, electricity, hot showers, cooking facilities, and free fuel. Three of the original rock shelters still remain today.

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Carthage businessman James Clarkson served as general manager of the Jefferson Highway Association during its early years.  He once remarked that if an auto tourist “could pitch a tent in a cheerful place, [they] would appreciate the hospitality of a town that has thrown its public park open to them.”  Carter Park offered just that kind of welcome to travelers during the 1920s through the mid-1930s.

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Today it continues to serve as a park for families to enjoy.  It features a continuous asphalt trail throughout the park for walking and emerging bike riders, benches, a playground, restrooms, shelters, and a futsal field.