In the early 1850s, the town encircled the land with a fence, put gravel down on the walkways, and began planting flowers and shrubs. The city began officially leasing the property from the county in 1854 (and has ever since), with an official ordinance declaring the space Bronson Park in 1899. Many well-known names have met and spoken in the historic park--from Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy.
The Indian Mound in the park is a point of particular interest. Little is known, but it is believed to originate from the Hopewell Indians, who built many other similar mounds centuries ago. The Hopewell Indians built many such mounds, possibly as raised gardening beds, but there has been some debate. Unfortunately, this prehistoric tribe did not leave any written script explaining the purposes of the mounds.