Thrasher Park

THRASHER PARK NAMED FOR THE FOUNDER OF NORCROSS. Norcross was chartered in 1870 through its founder, J.J. "Cousin John" Thrasher, and named for his good friend, Jonathon Norcross, the fourth mayor (1851) of Atlanta. "Cousin John" purchased tracts of land which he subdivided and sold as lots along the developing Richmond and Danville Railroad Line in Gwinnett County.

The first train on this line ran to Atlanta in June 1870. Norcross was made an incorporated town by act of the State Legislature on October 26, 1870, and "Cousin John" was elected the first mayor. He laid out and donated a square of land for a park "so to be used for all time, never for industrial purposes of any kind.

" For a period of time the park became known as "Dodson Park" because Mr. Dodson, a superintendent of the railroad, had a pavilion built which was given to the city. The name was changed to "Thrasher Park" by unanimous act of the Norcross City Council on January 1, 1934. We pay deepest respect to "Cousin John" Thrasher whose name stays with us in our park, if not in the name of our town.