Meet the Lizard and the Sock

Meet the Lizard & the Sock 

The Surprising Story of Cincinnati's Lazarus Lizards Inspire Imaginative New Playground at Sawyer Point 

A giant lizard, an oversized sock, and one of Cincinnati's most unique true stories inspire an iconic new playground on the heart of Cincinnati’s riverfront. 

Cincinnati Parks and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation are excited to unveil the latest design for the new playground at Sawyer Point, replacing the beloved "1000 Hands Playground" destroyed by fire in 2024. Powered by one of the city's most fascinating urban legends, the new playground will celebrate the remarkable story of how Cincinnati's Lazarus Lizards came to be, while creating a whimsical destination filled with opportunities for discovery and adventure for children of all ages and abilities.  

The Story of the Lazarus Lizards 

Many Cincinnatians have spotted the small green-and-brown lizards darting across stone walls, sidewalks, and gardens throughout the region. Their remarkable story began in 1951, when 10-year-old Cincinnati resident George Rau Jr., a member of the Lazarus family, returned from a family trip to northern Italy with several lizards tucked inside a sock. After arriving home, he released them into the yard of his Hyde Park residence. 

What happened next became one of Cincinnati's most unexpected local legends. The lizards beat the odds, adapted to their new surroundings, survived Ohio winters, and slowly but surely spread all throughout the region. Over the decades, they became an embedded and beloved part of Cincinnati's landscape. Today, they can be found sunbathing on park stonewalls, scurrying along waterfront pathways, and peeking out from gardens across the city. They are even now recognized by the state of Ohio as a naturalized, permanent resident reptile, receiving the same legal protection as native species. 

Soon, this uniquely Cincinnati tale will become the inspiration for a one-of-a-kind playground along the Ohio River, where future generations can climb, play, and discover the wonder filled story of the Lazarus Lizards for themselves.  

Lazarus Lizard Landing 

"Our goal was to create a playground that sparks imagination and creativity and is truly unlike anything else in our region," said Jason Barron, Parks Director. "Imagine – young George is enjoying an ice cream cone at Sawyer Point with his lizard in tow, when something startles him, he drops the sock and the lizard escapes, he goes for the lizard now he drops his ice cream cone – splat. Now, George and all his friends are shrunk down to play amongst the ensuing chaos. That is the Lizard and Sock Playground.”  

The heart of the new design will be a towering 10-foot lizard and sock structure for adventurers to climb through and explore, giving a fun nod to the tale of how the lizards first landed in Cincinnati. The design also features a 36-foot upside down ice cream cone with a winding 20-foot slide. Together, with additional nature-based play elements surrounding the site, the design creates a whimsical world where storytelling, exploration, and active play will all come together. 

Cost and Fundraising 

“Sawyer Point has an incredible opportunity to become the place to play on the Cincinnati riverfront. With an imaginative new playground joining the Sawyer Point skating rink and pickleball courts, we are creating a destination where kids and families from across our region will want to come again and again. The Cincinnati Parks Foundation is excited to lead the fundraising effort that will bring this vision to life.” Said Jennifer Hafner Spieser, Cincinnati Parks Foundation President + CEO. 

The new playground is estimated to cost at least $2 million, with funding to come from both public and private sources. Cincinnati Parks Foundation, the official philanthropic partner of Cincinnati Parks, is leading fundraising efforts. Anyone interested in contributing to help bring the lizard to Sawyer Point is encouraged to learn more about fundraising efforts here.  The new playground will sit within the footprint of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati which kicks off next week where there will be images of the playground and opportunities to donate posted.  

Design and Timeline 

Developing this design is the latest step in restoring one of Cincinnati's most iconic playground destinations. Since the tragic fire, Cincinnati Parks has worked to develop ideas and gather public feedback about what concepts and project elements would most excite residents and visitors. As the design process evolved, public input and creative exploration led right to the journey of these enterprising lizards finding a new home in Cincinnati and the sense of wonder the story inspires. 

The playground is tentatively planned to open in 2028. Once the design is finalized, fabrication of the custom equipment is expected to take 6-8 months followed by construction and installation. This schedule is dependent on fundraising as work to build and install the playground cannot commence until all the funding is received.  

Sawyer Point has long been a place where generations of families come to play and enjoy the outdoors. The new playground aims to honor this legacy while introducing a fresh and imaginative experience for park visitors. 

Playground Partners 

Cincinnati Parks is working with Midstates Recreation a firm specializing in extraordinary play spaces for children to design and build the playground. Midstates is also the exclusive provider of Earthscape, who are known for creating signature playgrounds offering unique creative play opportunities.