Franklin Park, Boston

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Franklin Park
Location:	Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Area:	527 acres
Established:	19th Century
Governing body:	Department of Conservation and Recreation

Franklin Park, a partially-wooded 527-acre parkland in the Jamaica Plain and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts, is maintained by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. It is Boston's biggest park and the site of Franklin Park Zoo.

1 General description
2 Zoo
3 Athletic areas
4 Playhouse
5 Schoolmaster Hill
6 See also
7 External Links
8 References

[edit] General description

Considered a country park when it was formed in the 19th century, Franklin Park is the largest and last component of the Emerald Necklace created by Frederick Law Olmsted. Although often neglected in the past, it is considered the "crown jewel" of Olmsted's work in Greater Boston. ^[1]^[2]

Named for Boston-born patriot Benjamin Franklin, the park brings together rural scenery, a woodland preserve, and areas for active recreation and sports. Franklin Park also has six miles of roads and fifteen miles of pedestrian and bridle paths to explore.^[3]^[4]

Much of Franklin Park is scenic and devoted to the general use and enjoyment of the public. Scarboro Pond and Endicott Arch are popular sites within the park, as are the large forested areas. The park also has picnic areas, stone bridges, outcroppings of Roxbury Puddingstone, and old stone ruins.^[5]^[6]

[edit] Zoo

Main article: Franklin Park Zoo

Franklin Park Zoo is located within park grounds. The 72-acre site zoo has such exotic animals as western lowland gorillas, a white tiger, and a herd of Grevy's zebra. Franklin Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in North America and it is the largest zoo in New England. ^[7]

[edit] Athletic areas

Franklin Park contains the eighteen-hole William J. Devine golf course (the second oldest public course in the nation) as well as tennis courts, baseball fields, and several basketball courts. There are large open areas used for lacrosse and soccer. One area of the park is used for cricket on Sunday afternoons. ^[8]^[9]

[edit] Playhouse

Franklin Park has an open-air public performance space known as the "Playhouse in the Park". This area has featured such renowned musicians as the Billy Taylor Trio and the Boston Pops. ^[10]

[edit] Schoolmaster Hill

Before the park was created, an unhappy local teacher named Ralph Waldo Emerson lived in a small cabin atop what is now named "Schoolmaster Hill". Emerson drew upon the landscape for inspiration for nature poetry and essays. Besides a plaque devoted to Emerson's memory, Schoolmaster Hill offers a spectacular view of the Blue Hills.^[11]