Tom

Weathers

At the time of her death in 1932, Florance Hayner Haskell bequeathed to the City of Alton the property, home, and Victorian playhouse that was built for her daughter Lucy Haskell, who died at age 9 of diphtheria. While the playhouse had great potential, it was an eyesore to the public who visited the park. Tom Weathers, in his role as executive director of the Alton Park and Recreation Department from 1974 to 1995, was instrumental in two major restorations of the playhouse. First, he created the Haskell Playhouse Restoration Committee, which rehabilitated the dilapidated playhouse. Thus, in 1974 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. When, in 2002, the playhouse had again fallen into disrepair, Mr. Weathers rose to the occasion, this time as a dedicated volunteer. For the past 2 years, the Friends of Haskell Park have hosted Lucy Haskell's birthday party at the playhouse, and Mr. Weathers has been active on the planning committee for the event. Many volunteers, including Mr. Weathers and his wife, dress in period costumes and offer period games, such as marbles and tug-of-war for children. Many improvements took place during his tenure on the Park and Recreation Department. Mr. Weathers was always quick to thank others; he never took personal credit. Yet his efforts, such as those described here, have greatly increased the quality of life for Alton's residents.