Friends of Jean Klock Park

1917 Dedication
Jean Klock Park-A gift to the Community

The Dedication Plaque

That which was carved in stone on the 1917 dedication plague will hopefully
again welcome all to Jean Klock Park.

The Klock Gift

At the dedication ceremony Mr. Klock stated:

“In taking an

inventory of life, we all take stock of the

circumstances

surrounding the

happiest moments. The

giving of

this park to the

city

Benton Harbor has been to

Mrs.

Klock

and myself, the

happiest

moment

our lives.

The

deed

f this

park in the

courthouse of St.

Joseph will

live

forever. Perhaps

some of you do

not own a foot of

ground, remember

then,

that

this is your park, it

belongs to

you.

Perhaps some of you have

piano

or phonograph,

the roll of the

water murmuring in calm,

roaring in

storm,

your

music, your piano

and music box.” In

closing Mr.

Klock

stated

“

The beach is yours, the

drive is

yours, the

dunes are yours, all

yours.

It is

not so much a gift

from

wife

and myself, it’s a gift

from a

little child.

See to it, that

the park is the children's

.”

At that time the City Mayor said:

“All we can do and say seems small in comparison to what

you

have

done

for us.”

Miss Ruth Sykes, who had the honor of accepting Jean Klock

Park

behalf of the city’s children stated:

“The securing of means for bettering its children is one of

the

most

blessed things that can

befall a city or nation. The

receiving of this

park is

a means which Benton Harbor is

today

grateful to receive.

The Great out

of doors

affording,

a place for

play and exercise as

necessary, this

need is

answered in this

park.” Declared the children’

representative, “The

children of

Benton Harbor will have

the

benefit of the learning the

beauties

of nature.”

JEAN KLOCK
PARK
PRESENTED
TO
BENTON HARBOR

BY
MR. AND MRS.
J. N. KLOCK
IN MEMORY
OF THEIR
DAUGHTER
JEAN

FOR THE
CHILDREN
1917

In 1932 Mr. Klock wrote an

autobiography

detailing his life from his struggling beginning at

the age of eleven as a typesetter, to a successful newspaper owner, Mayor of Benton

Harbor, and later the owner of two manufacturing facilities. The following is a quote from

his autobiography recalling he and his wife’s gift of Jean Klock Park and the many that

followed:

“There is little joy in piling up money that you do not need, and so the majority of

my earnings have been spent in providing beaches, parks, churches and schools.

Our first major gift was Jean Klock Park, a half mile of Lake Michigan frontage,

which was given to the city of Benton Harbor. I say “our” for my wife was very

anxious to give this park to the city in memory of our little child. Her untimely death

made possible the giving to other children the share of our earnings which belonged

to her, but which she could not use".