P A hundred years ago, when Lansing was still used to being called the "Capital in the Forest" some residents were noticing the growing need to preserve some of the green spaces of the city. The first two parks were planned. One park was called Third Ward Park, and was located S. Capital and Townsend (presently called Reuter Park). The second called Oak Park, was on E. Shiawassee, and was established on land that had once been a cemetery. Two of Lansing's successful timber barons, J. Henry Moores and James W. Potter took the initiative to establish parks. Moores donated 18 acres first called Belvedere Park in 1909, after his death in 1918 he willed another tract of lasd to the city in his wife's memory to be called Frances Moores Park. Potter Park and the zoo that it became later was actually started by the need for space of an Elk herd donated to the city by the Turner estate around 1915. James Potter donated the sizable plot of land to the city in 1912, along with $25,000 to construct a pavilion. It was dedicated as Potter Park (complete with the Elk herd as an attraction) in 1915. One other figure was instrumental in the beginnings of the Lansing Parks system. Although a citizen committee started the caretaking of the early parks, in 1913 the city hired H. Lee Bancroft as the first supervisor of the parks as well as forester for the city. There were others like Carl Fenner, (who took over from Bancroft), Richard H. Scott, and several citizen groups, who furthered the goal of providing Lansing families with beautiful parks.