Mission Grove Park, also commonly referred to as Grove Park, is the primary public park in Night Vale. Grove Park is the home of several strange monuments, and is a popular local destination for nature walks, picnics, outdoor recreation, public bloodstone rituals, and pointing at the sky while shouting in terror.[1][2] The park is also home to Night Vale's usual quarantine zone, which is located just behind the playground.[3] During StrexCorp's takeover of the town, it was home to most of the town's population for the "Company Picnic of Indeterminate Length"[4][5]
Monuments and landmarks[]
The Shape in Grove Park that No One Acknowledges or Speaks About[]
- For episode 5, see "The Shape in Grove Park".
Mission Grove Park was once home to a Shape that No One Acknowledges or Speaks About. In August 2012, Night Vale's City Council attempted to remove the Shape to make way for a new swing set, picnic area, and bloodstone circle, sparking protests by local historians, who insisted that the Shape was an important local landmark, regardless of what it is and what its effects on nearby neighborhoods might be.[1] Night Vale Community Radio host Cecil Palmer, in reporting on the story, inadvertently both acknowledged and spoke about the Shape in Grove Park that No One Acknowledges or Speaks About, agitating it into displaying anomalous, dangerous behavior.
The Night Vale City Council, blaming Cecil for creating the situation, moved the Shape to a location directly in front of the Night Vale Community Radio Station's front doors. It changed colors, caused small whirlwinds and emanated a sound as of a great many voices chanting, and eventually vaporized Intern Leland with a mysterious red light. After forcing Cecil to agree to never speak about or acknowledge the Shape again, the City Council moved it somewhere else. It is not known whether the Shape was moved back to Grove Park, or was moved to somewhere else, as no one has ever spoken of or acknowledged the Shape again.
The Eternal Animal Pyre[]
An eternal pyre fueled by the corpses of animals. After the mysterious Glow Cloud arrived in Night Vale, Night Vale Animal Control suggested that the public dispose of the dead animals that it rained down upon the earth in the Eternal Animal Pyre.[6] It seems as though the Eternal Animal Pyre existed long before the Glow Cloud arrived, but it is unclear what purpose it served, or who delivered the animals, or why.
An unnamed World War II monument[]
Grove Park was once home to an enormous seven-story tall monument, erected by Night Vale's City Council, that proclaimed, in gigantic neon letters, that the citizens of Night Vale were, in fact, almost solely responsible for winning World War II by chanting at their bloodstone circles.[7] However, the city was forced to dismantle the monument after a federal lawsuit. This is historically noteworthy, as it is one of the only examples on record of the outside world openly acknowledging the existence of Night Vale.
Minor events in Grove Park[]
- During the wheat and wheat by-products scare of 2013, the first victims selflessly and permanently removed themselves to the quarantine zone behind the playground at Mission Grove Park.[3] They remain there to this day, huddled together, living lives of quiet contemplation and weaving.
- Cecil visited Mission Grove Park on first date with Carlos the scientist.[2] Carlos noted that, although the trees in the park appeared to be normal, he'd like to perform some scientific tests on them, as, given how abnormal the rest of Night Vale was, it was likely that the trees were not normal, either. The results of his tests were inconclusive.
- The Woman from Italy was seen sitting on a bench in Grove Park, reading an old paperback copy of a book titled Bridge of Birds.[8]
- On February 15, 2014, the City Council was absolutely not hiding in a hastily dug hole in Mission Grove Park, breathing through their dirt gills until the walk signal crisis blew over.[9]
- Whenever the Obelisk returns to Night Vale, it's always located in the park.[10]
- In an alternate timeline caused by Sheriff Sam's removal of Frank Chen from his timeline moments before his death, the Wheat and Wheat By-Products Fair is held annually in Mission Grove Park.[11]
Mentions[]
- Episode 2 "Glow Cloud"
- Episode 5 "The Shape in Grove Park"
- Episode 7 "History Week"
- Episode 11 "Wheat & Wheat By-Products"
- Episode 15 "Street Cleaning Day"
- Episode 27 "First Date"
- Episode 39 "The Woman from Italy"
- Episode 41 "WALK"
- Episode 47 "Company Picnic"
- Episode 57 "The List"
- Episode 69 "Fashion Week"
- Episode 130 "A Story About Us"
- Episode 131 "Brought to You by Kellogg’s"
- Episode 139 "The Birthday of Lee Marvin"
- Episode 170 "To the Family and Friends"
- Episode 172 "Return of the Obelisk"
- Episode 173 "The Hundred Year Play"
- Episode 179 "First Snow"
- Episode 186 "The Many Lives of Frank Chen"
- Episode 188 "Listener Questions"
- Episode 191 "The Many, Many Lives of Frank Chen"
- Episode 194 "The Nearly Infinite Lives of Frank Chen"
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Episode 5 "The Shape in Grove Park"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Episode 27 "First Date"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Episode 11 "Wheat & Wheat By-Products"
- ↑ Episode 47 "Company Picnic"
- ↑ Episode 48 "Renovations"
- ↑ Episode 2 "Glow Cloud"
- ↑ Episode 7 "History Week"
- ↑ Episode 39 "The Woman from Italy"
- ↑ Episode 41 "WALK"
- ↑ Episode 172 "Return of the Obelisk"
- ↑ Episode 191 "The Many, Many Lives of Frank Chen"