Welcome to Ray Bradbury Park

Welcome to Ray Bradbury Park. . , [Clockwise, from upper left] , Early Life , Ray Douglas Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920. His parents were Leonard Spaulding Bradbury and Esther Marie Moberg. He spent much time during his youth reading at the Carnegie Library, which he used as a setting for "Something Wicked This Way Comes." In 1932, Mr. Electrico, a carnival entertainer, touched him with an electrified sword. He shouted "Live forever!" and young Ray's hair stood on end. He says that this event created a lifelong habit of writing every day. , , At the circus, Ray Bradury saw performers such as Mr. Electro and the Tattooed Man, who were included in his stories. , , The Author , Ray Bradbury's first published story, for which he was paid $27.50, was for Super Science Stories magazine in 1941. By 1942 he was a full-time writer but it was not until five years later that his first book, "Dark Carnival," was published. He became an award-winning, internationally-known author of fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. He has published more than 500 novels, short stories, screenplays, plays, scripts and poems. He is widely considered among the greatest writers of twentieth century American literature. , , Dandelion Wine , "Dandelion Wine" is a semi-autobiographical novel written in 1957. The story follows Douglas Spaulding, his brother Tom, and their various adventures during a summer in Green Town, Illinois. The story is based on Ray Bradbury's memories of his childhood in Waukegan. In the book, various locations in this neighborhood are described, including the stairs on the east side of the ravine. The title beverage is concocted by Douglas's grandfather and is a metaphor for the bottling up all the joys of summer in a single bottle. A sequel, "Farewell Summer," was published in 2006. , , Where might the name Douglas Spaulding come from? The answer is contained in this sign. , , Asteroid 9766 Bradbury is named in Ray's honor, along with Dandelion Crater on the moon. , , Books and Movies , Some of Ray Bradbury's bestselling books include "Something Wicked This Way Comes," "The Illustrated Man," "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles." More than twenty of his short stories and novels have been transformed into motion pictures and television. The television series "Ray Bradbury Theatre" ran for six seasons. , , Green Town..... , Ray never learned to drive. Instead, he used rollerskates as a boy, or a bike when he got older to get around town. That's "green!" , , About the Park , The park was given to Waukegan in 1891 by John F. Powell, a dealer in seashells and former mayor of Waukegan. It is one of Waukegan's oldest parks. The park was originally named Powell Park. This was confusing, since another, larger park (located a block north) was also named Powell Park. The name was changed when the Waukegan Park District dedicated the park to one of Waukegan's favorite sons, as Ray Bradbury Park on Tuesday, June 26, 1990. , , Ray Bradbury was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the motion picture industry.