Origins as Augusta’s Parade Ground
May Park occupies a historic green space in Augusta, Georgia that originally served a military purpose. Throughout much of the 19th century, this tract of land was used as Augusta’s parade ground, a field where local militia units drilled and held exercises. Its location (bounded by Watkins Street, Fourth (Elbert) Street, Walton Way, and Third (Lincoln) Street) was adjacent to the Richmond County jail, a fact that may not have been coincidental given the area’s early military use. During the Civil War era, volunteer units such as the “Young Zouaves” even trained on this ground. At that time, the open field was simply known as the Parade Ground or City Park, reflecting its role as a public commons for gatherings and drills.
By the late 1800s, Augusta’s parade ground began transitioning into a true city park. In an Augusta Chronicle article from 1878, for example, the site was referred to as the “Parade Ground” when hosting local baseball games. However, not long after, city leaders chose to develop and beautify this space. The former drill field was officially converted into a city-maintained park in the late 19th century and would soon be renamed “May Park” in honor of one of Augusta’s most respected mayors. This marked the beginning of May Park’s life as a civic recreational space, shedding its purely military past.
Naming of May Park and Mayor Robert H. May
May Park is named after Robert H. May (1822–1903), a prominent local politician and businessman who served as Mayor of Augusta during two crucial periods. Robert Henry May was an Augusta native who rose from humble beginnings as a wheelwright apprentice to become a successful carriage manufacturer and community leader. He was first elected mayor in 1861, just as the Civil War began, and served five consecutive one-year terms through 1866. During the war, May earned respect for his leadership and philanthropy. Notably, in 1862 he helped organize the Augusta Purveying Association, a city-backed charity that distributed food and goods to needy families during wartime. Near the war’s end, Georgia’s governor ordered Mayor May to burn cotton stockpiles in Augusta to prevent them from falling into Union hands; May instead urged cotton owners to move their bales outside the city, a strategy that ultimately saved Augusta from the fires that ravaged many Southern cities. This decision was credited with preserving numerous pre-war buildings and earned May enduring gratitude from citizens.
After a hiatus from office, Robert H. May returned as mayor in 1879 and served an unusually long tenure until 1891. During these post-Reconstruction years, Augusta experienced growth and modernization. Mayor May oversaw the expansion of city services and helped promote Augusta as a winter resort destination for affluent northerners. Under his administration, the city invested in public amenities, including the development of what is now May Park. In fact, contemporary accounts credit Robert H. May’s mayoral administration with transforming the old parade ground into a landscaped park for public enjoyment. The park was named in his honor while he was still alive, a testament to the esteem he earned over decades of public service.
Robert H. May remained active in civic life even after leaving the mayor’s office. He was elected coroner of Richmond County in 1898 and served in that role until his death in 1903. When he died at age 80, he was laid to rest in Magnolia Cemetery1, the historic cemetery located just across Third Street from the park that bears his name. Fittingly, May Park sits across from Magnolia Cemetery, so Robert May now eternally overlooks the green space that he helped create and that the city named for him.
The Park’s Early Features and Civic Uses
As May Park took shape in the late 19th century, it became a focal point for community recreation and civic events in Augusta. Beautification efforts were undertaken under Mayor May’s tenure, turning the once-plain field into an attractive Victorian-era park landscape. An Augusta newspaper in 1898 described May Park in glowing terms: “This park was developed under his [Mayor May’s] administration. It is noted for its beautiful large trees, lakes, flowers, hillocks, rustic houses and pavilions.” The park was embellished with walking paths, decorative plantings, and even small lakes or ponds, creating a garden-like atmosphere. A bandstand (music pavilion) was erected on the grounds, and by the 1880s the city hosted regular band concerts on summer evenings (typically on Tuesdays and Fridays) drawing local families out to enjoy music in the open air. A fountain once graced the park as well, its waters providing a pleasant backdrop for visitors until years later when it fell into disrepair.
May Park also served as a playground and athletic field in the late 1800s. Early baseball games in Augusta were played on the park’s grass: the site, still often called the Parade Ground in that era, hosted organized baseball matches for local teams. In fact, both white and African American teams made use of the grounds (albeit at different times, given the segregated leagues of the period). The Augusta Chronicle reported in June 1878 that “two colored base ball clubs had a match game at the Parade Ground yesterday afternoon” drawing a large crowd of spectators. As sports grew in popularity, the city later opened other facilities (such as Warren Park in 1904) for major baseball events, but May Park remained a neighborhood recreation spot. It truly was a community hub in the Victorian era – a place for military musters, civic celebrations, musical performances, and leisurely strolls under the magnolia and oak trees.
May Park Community Center and Later Developments
In the decades after World War II, Augusta’s city government renewed its focus on recreation facilities, and May Park benefitted from this civic investment. A major step was the construction of the May Park Community Center on the park’s northeast corner. The current brick community center building was completed in 1978, adding an indoor hub for activities to complement the park’s outdoor grounds. The center (with a distinctive mansard-style roof) includes a gymnasium, fitness rooms, and meeting spaces, enabling year-round programs for youth and adults. Since its opening, the May Park Community Center has been a staple of the neighborhood, hosting everything from basketball leagues and exercise classes to community meetings. In addition, the surrounding park offers athletic fields, playgrounds, and courts. By the late 20th century, May Park featured basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, a picnic pavilion, and open lawns, truly serving as a multi-use urban park.
The park also doubles as an emergency shelter site at times; for instance, the center has been designated a public cooling and heating shelter during extreme weather, and served as emergency shelter in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Over the years, various civic developments have touched May Park. The park’s location in Augusta’s historic Olde Town (sometimes called the Pinched Gut district) means it is part of a recognized historic landscape. While the community center itself was a modern addition in 1978, the park’s open space and its role as a public square contribute to the neighborhood’s historic character. In recent decades, local leaders and residents have sought to maintain and improve May Park as a vital community asset.
More recently, Augusta officials secured federal funding for park improvements and held public input meetings for a major renovation project. The planned upgrades include adding a dog park, walking track, new playground equipment, upgraded lighting for safety, and refurbished sports courts. Neighbors have enthusiastically welcomed these plans, seeing them as long overdue investments in a park that has served their families for generations.
Legacy and Conclusion
From its early days as a muddy parade ground to its heyday as a Victorian-era pleasure park, and through periods of neglect and renewal, May Park has been interwoven with Augusta’s civic life for nearly two centuries. The park’s very name honors Robert H. May, the mayor who guided Augusta through war and prosperity and helped establish this green oasis for the public. His legacy lives on in the oak-shaded lawns where children play and community members gather. Today, May Park and its Community Center continue to serve as a neighborhood anchor in Augusta’s Olde Town, providing recreation, open space, and a tangible link to the city’s rich history. With new improvements underway to modernize its amenities, May Park is poised to remain a cherished community hub well into the future – a living reminder of Augusta’s past, actively enjoyed by the present.
