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Baldwin Park has undergone a
complete redesign, including the additioin of a 0.3
mile walking/ joggin path, new lighting and landscaping.
The climate of the park has changed tremendously with
the renovation of Midtown.
According to the History of
Houston (B. H. Carroll, 1912, p. 436-437):
"What is known as the Lang Place in the Third Ward,
at the end of the LaBranch Street car line, was purchased
some years ago with the legacy left by the late Mrs.
W. M. Rice, and was named after her, "Elizabeth
Baldwin Park." It was cleared, fenced and opened
by the Civic Club, but no improvements were made either
by the club or by the city authorities. The only adornment
it has is its beautiful trees. The park is small, but
could be made very attractive."
Julia Elizabeth Baldwin (who
preferred to be called "Elizabeth") was the
second wife of William Marsh Rice. They were married
at Christ Church on June 26, 1867. She was the widow
of John H. Brown and daughter of Horace Baldwin, one-time
mayor of Houston (in 1844).
Immediately after they were married,
they moved to New York where they lived for the remainder
of their lives. But the end of her life was clouded
in scandal.
"As carefully as Rice laid his
plans for the institute, the doors of the school did
not open until 12 years after the benefactor's death.
In 1896 his wife Elizabeth died after weeks of illness.
Unknown to her husband, she had drawn up a will shortly
before her death, leaving what she judged as half of
the Rice estate to her relatives and for several civic
and charitable purposes.
Rice's attorney, Capt. Baker, advised
his friend to contest the will on grounds that Mrs.
Rice was not mentally capable of knowing what she was
doing when she wrote the will. Indeed there was reason
to suspect collusion among some of her relatives during
the last month's of Elizabeth Baldwin's life. After
the will was admitted to probate, William Rice contested
the will on the basis of being a resident of New York,
not Texas, which meant that community property rights
in which his wife's will were based did not apply."
(Houston Business Journal, Nov. 4, 1985)
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