“De Vou,” c. 1910	Devou Park, circa 1910	Devou Park, circa 1910

 

Devou Park, circa 1910	Devou Park, circa 1910	Devou Park, circa 1910

 

“De Vou”

 

This new recreation building was proposed for Devou park c. 1930	View from Devou, 1942	The Ludlow Lagoon, from Devou Park

 

Charming View of Devou Park Drives, 1918	Scene in Devou Park, 1943	Golf at Devou

 

Charles Devou House

 

The Old Farm Shelter House in Devou Park, which earlier was the farm house of Thomas Montegue
and family. The Devou family bought it in foreclosure & it eventually became the golf course
clubhouse. It burned on December 6, 1943. The current clubhouse is built on the same site.

 

Bridle Path & Rotary Grove at Devou	Cincinnati from Devou, a sketch by E. T. Hurley from a 1919 book of sketches by Hurley, with texts by James Green; you can read Green's text to this picture here.	The "Devoe" Fields Golf Course, 1957

By all means, don't miss Rick Robinson's account of the Great Devou Park Alligator Hunt.

Devou, in 1932 Thanks to Nate Thamann for this one.		Villa Madonna College, later Thomas More, attend the Holy Hour in Devou on the feast of Christ the King.

 

	Devou Park Band Shell

40,000 people once attended a night concert in the Devou Park Amphitheater. They came to see
Dolly Dawn and George Hall, as well as radio personality Harvey Brownfield. Cheetah - of Tarzan
fame - starred here in the summer of 1952. The first band shell performance was on June 28, 1939.

Devou is celebrated in poetry: Glorious Devou

The park was deeded to Covington on November 28, 1910.	Dave Schroeder wrote a brief history of Devou at this site.
The eviction saga of Devou Park landmark Rufus Light from the park.	In July, 1934, over 25,000 citizens attended a celebration on July 4th in the beautiful 526-acre city park (Devou Park) commemorating the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the city.
5,000 people came to Devou for a community sing in May 21, 1921.	Egg Fight! at Devou, Easter, 1927.

 

Covington Protestant Children’s Home, 1942
It moved from 14th and Madison to a lot adjacent to Devou in 1926.

On the Water Wagon in Devou Park, 1912 "11-26-12 Friend Theodore, I thought I would send you a picture of your school chum. On the water wagon. This appropriate picture was taken in "Devou Park" Covington, Ky, a week before I left God's chosen spot. Have gained seven pounds since. Lee Schmitt"

 

“It is the picture of a stone quarry on the Kentucky side”

Prisoners' Lake in Devou is named for prisoners who were put to work quarrying stone for the city.
The prisoners were assigned to that task in 1916. This card is postmarked 1906.
And therein lies a conundrum.

 

Prisoners' Lake From a Facebook post by John Wilson	Prisoners' Lake from the Behringer-Crawford

 

Fishing Derby at Prisoners' Lake, 1960 The story is here.	The Lake at Devou Park, 1930	The Rock Crusher at Prisoners' Lake Quarry
Prisoners' Lake takes its name from a 1916 action by the City of Covington that decided to get rock needed for the city's roads from a Devou quarry by drafting prisoners from the city jail to do the work.

 

Devou Park Map

 

Charles R. Devou	Charles father, William Devou, “Millionaire tenement owner”

 

1910 news story: Devou Brothers donate 500 acres.	Why the donation?
And last but not least, William Devou, Covington slum lord, by Greg Hand at his Cincinnati Curiosities website. (“There’s A Sordid And Salacious Backstory To Beautiful Devou Park”)