Robert Crawford wasn't about to write a run-of-the-mill will.

Not this guy - a man who started a creative thinking course at the University of Nebraska, wrote a book called "Think for Yourself" and worked 30 years as a journalism professor.

His creativity would wind up providing a bright spot in the city's budget 40 years later, and enable the mayor of Lincoln to do a little creative thinking of his own about what to do with an unexpected gift from a professor who died in 1970.

In 1969, when Crawford set his hand to his last will and testament, he doled out thousands of dollars, a collection of Japanese prints, rare books, two rare Oriental vases, postage stamps, Chinese paintings and a rare African rug.

He directed that Cedars Home of Lincoln receive $1,000 to celebrate holidays and birthdays, the YMCA get $2,000 to furnish its men's lounge, that four Lincoln churches get $2,000 apiece to hold public organ recitals once annually for the four years after his death and that a Texas woman receive $1,000 every year to take a mountain vacation "in recognition of her splendid services in the teaching profession."

But his boldest idea was in the final directive: that the remainder of his money be used to create the Robert P. Crawford Trust and be left untouched and allowed to accumulate earnings for 99 years following his death.

Then, and only then, the money could be cashed out and used to purchase land and build a large city park and playground called Crawford Park.

He stipulated that the park be built on "scenic land, near the then-city limits of Lincoln in the direction of its major growth."

And so when Crawford died in 1970, an estimated $100,000 was deposited into the trust. Through the miracle of compounding interest, the principal had grown to nearly $3 million before the current recession knocked it down to about $2 million.

In the 1970s, city officials figured the fund would grow to about $4 million when it matured in 2069, but it could be worth hundreds of millions by then.

The head of Lincoln's parks department, Lynn Johnson, said when he would receive the fund's quarterly reports, he'd think, "Somebody is going to have a great time in 2069 making this happen."

Johnson didn't think he'd be around for that.

But recently, U.S. Bank trust officers informed city officials that federal law now dictates that a portion of the trust fund be distributed annually. So this year the city will begin receiving 5 percent of the value of the trust annually. That should amount to nearly $100,000 this year.

The trust officers believe the money can be spent any way the city wants, but Mayor Chris Beutler wants to stick to the spirit of Crawford's vision.

He proposes the annual payments be used to gradually create an arts corridor -with green spaces, sculptures, recreational areas, playgrounds, museums -along Cornhusker Highway from the airport onto I-180 and into Lincoln.

Similar to what Omaha did with the route to its airport, only grander.

Beutler said such a corridor would improve one of the main entryways into Lincoln - he calls the drive in from the airport "really rather mundane, even dreary" - and build on the private sculptures along the route and the planned Sheldon Gallery branch at the entrance to downtown.

The mayor thinks it would help give Lincoln a better identity.

"We need to have a community discussion," Beutler said. "Maybe people don't like the idea."

The first step will be to create a fund for the money in his municipal budget, which will be released to the public this weekend.

Beutler hopes Crawford's gift - even if it's just a small piece of a bigger pie to be served up in 60 years - will help "give people the sense that we're turning this thing around."

The story of the curious trust fund was passed down by city officials over the years, and it evolved to the point where legend had it that some math professor wanted to teach the city the value of saving and compounding interest.

But old Lincoln Star clippings make no mention of such lore.

They say Crawford was an Iowa native who worked at the Lincoln Evening Journal for a few years, established a course in agricultural journalism at the University of Nebraska, helped found the University of Nebraska Foundation and served as assistant to the chancellor for two years.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.