Past Honorees

In 2013 we would like to acknowledge White Park. The park has a significant connection to generations of locals whether it was for leisure or sports activity. This very pond that we are skating on today has played a prominent role in the evolution of skating and hockey in Concord from the early 1900’s. The City of Concord received this land as a gift from Armenia White in memory of her husband Nathanial White (founder of the American Express Company). White Park sits on 23.4 acres and is defined by 5 residential streets (Washington, Centre, White, Liberty & Beacon). In the mid 1880’s the landscape architect Charles Elliott designed the Park. Two Ponds were excavated to help direct the flow of water from the hillside springs. Other elements include the Stone Bridge (included in the Black Ice Pond Hockey Logo) which was constructed in 1896, the steel picket fence surrounding the park built after 1905, and the fieldstone shelter referred to as the “Trolley Stop” in 1906. Hockey on the pond dates back to the winter of 1910-11 where the Concord Monitor and Patriot writes about two teams competing, The Concord Young Sluggers and The Young I.O.C. Other teams like the White Park Warriors 1915, Concord YMCA 1922, Walker School, Garrison School 1924, Concord High School Independents 1924, White Park Hockey Club and South End Hockey Club 1928 played at different times and were based out of White Park. In 1932 Officer Tom Andrews of the Concord Police Department started The White Park Hockey League. The six teams were White Park, West End A.C., South End Wildcats, West Concord A.C., Walker Street Rangers and The South End Shamrocks. White Park remained the focal point of organized hockey in Concord until the Douglas N. Everett Arena was built in 1966.