By MICHAEL BUSHNELL
Northeast News
April 23, 2014

In 1890, when Judge Azariah Budd donated 20 acres to the city’s fledgling Parks Department, the city limits had barely reached Hardesty Avenue; the park’s eastern boundary.

Following the judge’s death, his wife gave an additional four acres to the city for the park, and another 2.39 acres were acquired by condemnation. The shelter shown on the hand-colored postcard was built in 1895 by L. G. Jeffers, a subcontractor hired by the city.

According to an entry from an old park board record book dated July 30, 1902, “The Metropolitan Street Railway Company was granted the privilege of maintaining a band for music and picture shows, daily except Sunday at Budd Park.”

The wooden structure shown, here was demolished in 1921 and replaced by the stone shelter that still tops the hill near the center of the park. The hand-written message on front of the card talks about the season: “we are having a little cold weather now but we have not had any skating so far.” The cared was mailed to Mrs. J. W. Field, Box L, Hailey, Idaho on February 1, 1908.

Another message written on the back says, “My Dear Friend, I thank you for a thousand times for the pretty postal. I should judge that Idaho would be a grand place for sleighing and skating. Write again. Love, Katie.”