Longfellow Park located on North 20^th Street between Wall and Logan Streets includes a pavilion for picnics and family reunions (available free on a first-come, first serve basis), tennis courts, backstops for softball games, a basketball court, and, of course, plenty of playground equipment for kids. Longfellow Park was originally the site of Longfellow School and is home to the Murphysboro Clarkes Vintage Base Ball team.

The oldest park in the city is Parkview Park (also known as 9^th Street Park) located on North 9^th street. This park was organized in 1876 by Murphysboro’s Turin Verein, a German athletic and social club. The park became part of the Park District in 1921. With a small playground and beautiful setting, the park is a great spot for a quiet lunch break or an afternoon picnic. It’s a very popular location for basketball games and also features a playground and lots of shade!

The largest facility of the Murphysboro Park District is Riverside Park, located at Commercial and South 24^th Street in the southwest part of the city alongside the Big Muddy River. Riverside Park was established in 1907 and immediately became the flagship of the district’s offerings. At its inception, the park was landscaped by a professional firm contracted from St. Louis. Considered by many to be architectural treasures, the Riverside Park bandshell and grandstand at Chep Kessel Field were constructed as part of the Work Projects Administration programs of 1938. Today, both structures are being considered for recognition with the National Register of Historic Places.

A Veteran’s Monument at Riverside Park was originally dedicated in 1928 by the American Legion, and then was rededicated in 2006 following numerous improvements.

Each Independence Day, Riverside Park is home to one of Southern Illinois’ premier Fourth of July fireworks celebrations. Held in conjunction with the City of Murphysboro, the annual event has long been a popular highlight of summer. Here’s another surprise: the first Riverside Park fireworks celebration was held in 1939; local newspapers reported that as many as 40,000 people attended the event!

Riverview Park features three shelters available for rental (Kiwanis, Lions and Booster), and serves as home of the Park District’s administrative offices located in the Recreation Center, which also is available for rental.

Additionally, the Murphysboro Park District owns, maintains and partially funds the General John A. Logan Museum located at 1613 Edith Street.

We welcome everyone to enjoy our facilities in safe and considerate ways. Click here for a copy of the Murphysboro Park District Guidelines and Rules.

Murphysboro Park District is dedicated to providing the best experience for users of its facilities and asks that you review and follow the rules for use of its facilities.

Click here to view a pdf copy of the Park Shelter terms of use.

Click here to view a pdf copy of the Recreation Center terms of use.

Rental information:

Kiwanis Shelter $20 rental/$20 deposit (in district), $30 rental/$30 deposit (out of district)

Lions Shelter $15 rental/$10 deposit (in district), $20 rental/$20 deposit (out of district)

Booster Shelter $20 rental/$20 deposit (in district), $30 rental/$30 deposit (out of district)

• Click here for an In-District Park Shelter Rental form.
• Click here for an Out-of-District Park Shelter Rental form.