MALDEN — With a history dating back to the city’s founders, Fellsmere Park deserves recognition, said City Councilor at large Debbie DeMaria.
A long-time community activist who lives in walking distance to the park and Fellsmere Pond, DeMaria has long admired and embraced the beauty of one of Malden’s oldest and most well-used passive recreational spaces.
She said the park’s new sign highlights the park’s history and people who contributed to Malden.
“We wanted to recognize the earliest founders of Fellsmere Park and what better way than with a new sign,” DeMaria said, noting that the sign includes mention of the park’s inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. “Malden has so much rich history and Fellsmere Pond and Fellsmere Park is another great part of it.”
DeMaria said she worked closely with the members of the Malden Historical Society to design the sign, which is adorned in Malden’s colors with a blue backing and white and gold lettering, and acknowledges the park was designed by world-renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
Fellsmere Park was established in 1893 with the efforts and generosity of Malden’s first two mayors, Elisha Converse, who served as Malden’s first mayor from 1881-1893, and John Sleeper (1893-1903).
Elisha Converse is known as one of Malden’s most profound philanthropists and businessmen. He was founder and president of the Boston Rubber Shoe Company, later Converse Rubber, and a founder of Malden Bank, and later the First National Bank of Malden, where he served as president for 30 years.
He also served in the Massachusetts Legislature and was involved in donations of millions of dollars in the construction and establishment of the Malden Hospital, Malden City Hall, Malden Public Library, Malden YMCA, Malden Historical Society and the Malden Auditorium — one of the finest theaters in the Boston area.
He also donated the property for the creation of Pine Banks Park.
As fate would have it, Converse and Sleeper owned much of the land which now makes up the 40-acre park bounded by Fellsway East and Hospital Road and each donated many acres of their own land. In the early 1890s, the Malden Park Commission purchased remaining parcels to finish assembling the park.
DeMaria coordinated the new Fellsmere sign’s unveiling with Elisha Converse’s great-great niece, Sheryl Mills, and her husband, Jim.
Malden Mayor Gary Christenson credited members of the Malden Historical Society, Malden Historical Commission and Malden Converse Memorial Public Library Board of Trustees for preserving and celebrating the park’s history.
He also praised state Rep. Steve Ultrino, D-Malden, former Mayor Ed Lucey, Ward 3 Councilor John Matheson, a longtime advocate for Fellsmere Park along with DeMaria, and Councilor at large Ryan O’Malley.
“I’m truly grateful to Councilor Debbie DeMaria for taking the initiative in having this sign designed and installed,” Christenson said, adding, “It was also a great honor to meet descendants of Malden’s first mayor.”