It was later declared surplus and in 1923 the United States Department of Agriculture began using 160 acres (0.65 km2) as a plant introduction garden.

As early as 1940 the county expressed an interest in acquiring the remaining property.

As of 1990, it was called Deering Bay and owned by Armando Codina and others.

Money from the Decade of Progress bonds in 1972 led to the construction of three lighted baseball fields.

were closed due to environmental concerns (arsenic contamination) in 2014 and are now overgrown.