Cosmo Park was named to the Most Notable Properties List in 2011, according to this Feb. 15, 2011 Columbia Missourian article.

Cosmo Park named to the 2011 Most Notable Properties List

A quote from Brian Treece in the Feb. 15, 2011 article on the five properties named to the Most Notable Properties list sums up the importance of the list: “History is all around us, and sometimes we forget that.” The article includes photographs, a slide show and a map.

In his quote, Treece, chairman of Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission, was referring to Cosmo Park, which the article by Jamie Tanner notes was once the site of the Columbia Municipal Airport. Again, from Treece, “A lot of people don’t realize when they’re driving to their child’s soccer game or a picnic at Cosmo Park, they are driving on a runway of the old airport.”

Grindstone Nature Area History — Not on the Notable Properties list, it is still historic in its own right. This link is to a document that outlines the history of David Gordon, Marshall Gordon and this tract of land owned by the Gordon family from pioneer days until 1959. This history includes the fact that when David Gordon moved to Columbia he brought with him “many slaves,” who in 1823 were “used to burn brick, fell trees, saw lumber …” for a mansion that once stood near Stephens’ Lake. So if you’ve ever used or enjoyed Stephens Lake, you’re enjoying the fruits of forced labor.