Waukesha
Frame Park Amphitheater
10/29/2022
Frame Park is named for Andrew J. Frame and his wife Emma. Mr. Frame was a local business leader who in the 1920s donated 35 acres of land and money to clean up and redevelop areas which had been used as industrial dumping places along the east and west side of the Fox River. According to old park board meeting minutes, Frame Park was officially dedicated October 25, 1939. Mr. Frame was a big fan of baseball, thus the Frame Park baseball diamond was central to the Park and has been home to many teams over the years.
In the late 1980s through the mid 1990s, there was a concerted effort to improve the Fox River corridor. The redevelopment of the Park was initiated with planning done by the nonprofit Fox River Development Foundation. The project was funded by many private-public organizations including the Waukesha Rotary Club.
The redevelopment included an amphitheater/performance theater. It sits on a hillside with seating on its slopes and a circular concrete stage located at the bottom of the hill and overlooks the Fox River. The redesign included not only the amphitheater, but also the Rotary Building, a large playgound, several pedestrian bridges and a new RiverWalk. The Park was redesigned by Hitchcock Design, Naperville. IL.
According to the Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum, there was a grand reopening ceremony for the Park in June 1995.
Waukesha Freeman, 6/10/1995
The Huelsman Family Research Center, Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum also reported that there were speeches given by Don Fundingslund, president of the Fox River Development Board, Mayor Carol Opel, and former Governor Lee Dreyfus. Carol remarked about the people of Waukesha, "It is your commitment, your community, your sense of neighborhood that has made this a reality." There were strolling musicians playing Dixieland music while 250 guests partook of the large array of food presented.
9/29/2022; the formal gardens are part of the original Park
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9/29/2022; Dedication plaque at Rotary Club Building
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9/29/2022; RiverWalk along Fox River
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Events, such as wedding and church services, have been held at the Amphitheater.
It may be rented for musical performances, theatrical productions, or other such events.
It may be rented for musical performances, theatrical productions, or other such events.
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