Patterson Park Community Center

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Patterson Park Community Center has been a pillar of the Murfreesboro community since its opening in 1979 and expansion about two decades later. Today, the community center has many indoor and outdoor amenities such as mural and meeting rooms, a game room and a theater, as well as playgrounds, pools, and multipurpose fields and courts. It is also home to Myrtle Glanton Lord library, and pre-school and after school care programs. The community center itself was built and named in the honor of the late Dr. James Patterson. Patterson donated dental care to students at Bradley Elementary school, which served African American children in the community before desegregation. Gloria Bonner, a former student at Bradley Elementary, who volunteered after school at Dr. Patterson’s office stated that Patterson was a “servant leader to the community” who “touched a lot of lives.”

Prior to the construction of the community center, the land, referred to as Holloway Park, served a few other purposes, primarily for Holloway High School's track and football field. Every year, this land was used for the Mid-State Colored Fair, which was organized by Holloway High School and brought black residents of Middle Tennessee together. This fair, which started at least as early as 1910, had carnival rides, horse shows, and many other games and exhibits.