The Park
President Clinton imagined a park that would attract the local community as well as visitors from around the world to the Clinton Presidential Center, offering a space where families could come and enjoy the natural beauty along the Arkansas River.
The sculpted landscape of the Clinton Center connects to the revitalized River Market entertainment district.
The landscape architect George Hargreaves of Hargreaves Associates was tasked with transforming this neglected industrial wasteland into a vibrant park.
Today, a visit to the Center would not be complete without exploring the 30 acres of pristine grounds. After you’re finished taking in the exhibits, come unwind in the park and enjoy all that the Center has to offer. Whether you’re coming out for one of the many outdoor festivals, having a picnic with family and friends, or just looking to escape for a few hours, the Park is a perfect place to spend an afternoon.
The Park’s features include:
- Sweeping terraced lawns and gardens that extend to the River’s edge
- A 2,000-foot promenade with views of the Center’s changing architecture
- 75 lacebark elms flanking President Clinton Avenue
- 700 trees on the hills and lawns; including ash, maple, willow and oaks representing the rich biodiversity of Arkansas’s forests
- The William E. “Bill” Clark Presidential Park Wetlands; this area is currently being developed to showcase wildlife and river life in a restored wetlands habitat for the education and enjoyment of visitors
- The “Scholar’s Garden,” which serves as a quiet refuge from the activity in the surrounding buildings, and is full of plants such as goldflame spiraea, daylily, purple coneflower, sage and iris
- A re-naturalized riverbank and a grove of Southern magnolias which surround a semi secluded lawn
- A grassy, sloping amphitheater used for numerous concerts, programs and other special events
