About Reid Park’s Namesake

"Gene Reid was a tree man. He was raised on a tree farm that his dad Maurice Reid owned on the west side of town. Maurice moved to Tucson to grow and sell grapefruit trees in the desert. People told him it couldn't be done.

“Gene became the first manager of Parks and Recreation in 1947. He built Reid Park to be a rolling hills forest with two lakes and two rivers in the middle of town. He was known as an arm twister, an end runner, a cajoler, a penny pincher, a visionary, a horse trader and a Gen. Patton. But most of all he was a tree expert before the term arborist came into vogue. Gene never wanted to see a tree cut down.

“He built Barnum Hill and the two lakes and rivers to be a special place that was open to anyone that wanted a place to cool off in the summer and bring the kids for a picnic. I believe he would have been happy about the zoo improvements but wouldn't want his hill and lake to be in the zoo.

“And never ever cut down any trees. The zoo improvement plan needs to be reworked so that all existing trees, hills and ponds are not cut down, removed or destroyed."

— Story by Tucsonan Warren Ferrey. Photos supplied by Gene’s daughter, Pam Reid.