Orton Park
| Address: | 1103 Spaight St. |
| Hours: | 4:00am - 10:00pm |
| Park Type:> | Mini |
| Acres: | 3.58 |
| Restroom: | No |
| Drinking Water: | Yes |
Park History
Orton Park comprises the entire Block 180 of the original plat of Madison. The settlement of Madison was officially recognized as a village in 1846 and in 1848 Block 180 was designated as the village's official cemetery. In 1857, however, shortly after Madison became a city, the land that is now Forest Hill Cemetery was purchased for that purpose. In 1877 all of the burials that could be found were removed from the old village cemetery and reinterred at Forest Hill. In 1883 the old cemetery site was declared an official city park, the first in Madison. It was named after Harlow S. Orton, one of Madison's former mayors and a supreme court justice at the time. In 1887 the park was officially opened. Orton Park remained the city's first public park until the Madison Parks and Pleasure Drive Association started its campaign to add parks to the city at the turn of the last century.Orton Park was designated a City of Madison landmark on October 6, 1975, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
At this Park
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Basketball Court
Check out the hoops in your neighborhood! Most of the basketball courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are planning a new league or tournament RESERVE ONLINE
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Orton Park - Basketball Court
Surface: Asphalt
Lighted: No
Number of Courts:
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Multipurpose Field
Open or Multipurpose Fields are reservable athletic fields with no game-specific design or limitations. Often used for soccer, ultimate, lacrosse or football, yet open to your imagination. Multipurpose Fields are located throughout the city and may be used on a first-come, first-served basis if not already reserved. RESERVE ONLINE
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SPECIALIZED FIELDS
Specialized fields include soccer, cricket, ball diamonds - baseball or softball and both fenced and non-fenced, may be viewed on the individual pages. See the sidebar on the Athletics webpage.-
Orton Park - Multipurpose Field
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Picnic Shelter
Picnic shelters, also called sun shelters, are smaller, open-air structures that provide a little shade and typically some seating. They do not protect from severe weather, such as lightning. A picnic shelter may be reserved or used on a first-come, first-served basis if not previously reserved.
RULES & TIPS- See SHELTER PRICES for 2025 rates.
- BEFORE reserving, be sure to see Parks Projects. We are continually improving our park system and some of these improvements may impact a nearby shelter.
- RESERVE Three Ways
- ONLINE
- Calling (608)266-4711
- In-person at the Parks administration office
- Full payment is due at the time of processing your reservation, along with any required permits.
- Credit card is the only accepted method of payment.
- Need to CANCEL? All reservations are subject to our standard cancelation policy.
- Opening day to reserve a park picnic shelter for the following year begins on the first business day in November.
- 2025 reservations are open as of Friday, November 1, 2024.
- IMPORTANT: Canceling a reservation made on opening day will result in a 50% refund and must be submitted at least 11 or more days before the event date. No refunds are given if the request is submitted 10 days or fewer before the event.
- Madison Parks does not guarantee absolute privacy to any group. Your reservation will reserve only the facility you are using, not the entire park or other facilities within the park. If you are interested in reserving the entire park, please visit Special Events.
- Alcohol is permitted in most Madison Parks, as long as there is no glass. A handful of parks are alcohol-free and require a permit to bring alcohol. You must have a reservation to obtain an alcohol permit.
- All picnic shelters are open year-round, however, if the picnic shelter has restrooms, these are open seasonally and closed for the winter typically October - April.
- In the event of severe weather, picnic shelters are not lightening protection areas. Please seek an alternative location.
- Firearms or weapons are not permitted at any of the shelters. Violators may be considered trespassers and may be subject to forfeiture or arrest.
- Park improvements and/or construction may be underway during the time of your reservation. The City of Madison Parks Division makes every attempt to schedule around events and shelter reservations whenever possible, however, this is not a guarantee. Please keep in mind improvements to parks and infrastructure continues throughout the year. Please see Park Projects for park improvement that may impact a nearby shelter.
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Orton Park Gazebo
Restrooms: No
Lighted: Yes
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Playground
With more than 175 playgrounds throughout Madison, you are never too far from a playground. According to the Trust for Public Land, Madison ranks #1 in the nation for the number of playgrounds available. The traditional swings and slides are always an option, as are new play elements and fully accessible playgrounds.
PLAYGROUNDS FOR EVERYONE
Through the Madison Parks Foundation initiative, Madison Parks offers accessible playgrounds in Brittingham, Elver, Rennebohm and Warner parks. An accessible playground is anticipated in Reindahl Park in the near future.
NATURE PLAYGROUNDS
A nature playground uses natural materials such as logs, rocks, plants, and the surrounding land to create a play environment that encourages children to explore and connect with nature. Nature play elements can combined with traditional playground equipment like slides, swings and climbers. Check out Brittingham Park and Olbrich Park to get you started, other parks include Paunack, Garner, Tenney, Westmorland and Wingra.
PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENTS: HOW AND WHEN
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Madison Parks is responsible for maintaining more than 175 playgrounds and began a system-wide replacement initiative in 2013. With current staff and funding resources, replacements are scheduled to continue through 2033. Playgrounds are routinely inspected to assess the equipment's conditions and repair any safety concerns. Based on the age of the equipment and current conditions, each is given an audit score. The number of playgrounds replaced each year is based on budget allocations, staffing resources, and using the current playground audit score for prioritization.
REPLACEMENT PROCESS: NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT
At the start of the replacement process, notices are sent to the District Alder, neighborhood association representatives, and surrounding residential addresses. Information is also posted to the project website. Generally, two public meetings are held to review surfacing and equipment options and make final selections.
If you have questions about a specific playground or see something broken, please let us know.-
Orton Park - Playground
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