Dudgeon Park

Monroe St.
Named after Richard Ball Dudgeon, who served as superintendent of Madison's public schools from 1891 to 1920.

Born in 1853, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1876. The present-day Wingra School on Monroe Street, built between 1926 and 1928, was originally named after him (he died in 1922).

Madison's educational environment was significantly different during Dudgeon's tenure. In September 1900, for example, he reported that only 57 percent of Madison students had attended school the previous year. Due to overcrowding, he called for a new high school to be built.

Richard's father, Rev. Richard Sr. Dudgeon and mother, Deliverance "Della" Ball, was related to Mary Ball, the mother of George Washington.

Their daughter, Sarah, was married to Emanuel James Baskerville. He came to Madison in 1893 to accept the pastorate of the First Methodist Episcopal Church. He also conducted services in the 6th Ward school at Jenifer and Brearly streets, and in a chapel that stood on the site of the 6th Ward branch library. He was pastor there from 1893 to 1898, then moved to Detroit. He was owner of the Baskerville Apartments at South Hamilton and West Doty streets and established Baskerville Park on the west shore of Lake Mendota.