Harold Stanley “H.S.” Wagner (1892-1983) received the local level Pugsley Medal in 1956 “for outstanding work in the planning, development, acquisition, and operation of the Akron Metropolitan Park System over a period of 30 years; for devoted service and leadership in nation-wide organizations; and for advisory and collaborative service to park agencies from the local level to the national level.”He was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended the Charles Summer School and graduated from the Mechanic Arts High School in 1910. His father was employed by the Arnold Arboretum, which was the so-called tree museum of Harvard University, and he was also exposed to parks through access to William E. Fisher, who was superintendent of the Boston Park System. In 1910, he enrolled in a five-year course at the Arnold Arboretum to train as a “landscape artist,” and during this period he worked as a part-time volunteer for the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm.
During Wagner’s career, he grew the Akron Metropolitan Park system to 3,600 acres, embracing six major parks, all of which were donated. Wagner earned a reputation of being persuasive. Momentum was created by Seiberling, who donated most of the land that became Sand Run Park, which was opened in 1929. During Wagner’s career, he grew the Akron Metropolitan Park system to 3,600 acres, embracing six major parks, all of which were donated. The last of the six parks, Firestone Park, along the Cuyahoga River, and Virginia Kendall were donated.
The first tax levy (0.1 mill) for the park district to operate the system was approved by the voters in 1928. Wagner got much of the development work at these parks done by aggressively pursuing the labor opportunities provided by the CCC camps in the 1930s.
Wagner’s employees knew him as a tough taskmaster who stood no nonsense. He was often blunt in his speaking and caustic in his criticism of ineptitude. He did not hesitate to chastise others when he believed them to make incorrect or inappropriate decisions, and his peers, he was highly respected and regarded by employees.