S. Harlan Vogt Park

The quiet, shaded park on Park Place between Jefferson and Jackson Streets – near the site of the old Port Fulton School, and close to the former residence where Harlan and Isabel Vogt raised their family – has been designated S. Harlan Vogt Park, honoring his contributions and commitment to Jeffersonville. Harlan is best remembered for his love of his family and his community; his tolerance, respectfulness and friendliness; his tireless energy and strong work ethic; and his appreciation and acknowledgement of the effort and assistance of his fellow educators, recreational assistants, his students and their families.

S. Harlan Vogt worked as teacher and principal of Port Fulton Elementary School from 1925-1953. In 1953 he was appointed principal at the new Eastlawn Elementary School, where he served until his retirement in 1966. In 1929 he was appointed the cities first director of Parks & Recreation and served through 1948.

Through the difficult Great Depression years of the 1930’s and the turbulent war years of the 1940’s, Harlan led an ever-expanding recreation program for the city. Multiple park sites, with supervised recreation programs, were established – an expanded Playsquare Park in the downtown area; at 12th and Watt Streets; at 10th and Spring Streets; in the Ingramville and Port Fulton areas; and at Memorial Park in the east end. He worked to make recreational opportunities available to all of the citizens of Jeffersonville. Bleachers, and lighting for night games, were added at Playsquare, where fast-pitch softball games featuring teams from grade-schoolers to adults brought crowds of spectators.

Among the many other recreational activities offered were baseball, tennis, volleyball, horseshoes, track and field, push mobile derbies, marble tournaments, arts and crafts instruction and exhibits, pet shows, doll shows, horse shows, bicycle races, a model airplane club, and pie eating contests. By the mid 1930’s, Jeffersonville’s successful recreational program was recognized statewide; and, Harlan was honored to be one of the original directors, and later elected president of the Indiana Recreation Association.

Along with spending 43 years as an educator – 41 of those years with the Jeffersonville schools – and 20 years as the city’s recreation director, Harlan was further involved in the community. He was a charter member of the city’s Young Men’s Business & Professional Club, later to become the Jaycees; an original director of the First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Clark County; a chairman of the Clark County Chapter of the American Red Cross; a member of the Masonic Lodge; and a member of Park Place United Methodist Church.