The park was the site of the Rock Harbor Academy a private school established in 1827 for Seaman and Public school teachers. The school was discontinued and the building moved in the 1850's. Approximately 25 years later David Snow bequeathed funds to found a public library. The Town chose this site and built what became the Snow library which functioned until February 1952 until moving to its present site across the street at the Village Green. The Town then converted the property to Veterans Memorial Park and built the World War II memorial in 1954.