Franklin Park (Boston) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Franklin Park |
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A path in Franklin Park in October 2013
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| Location | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Area | 527 acres (2.13 km2) |
| Established | 19th century |
| Operated by | The City of Boston, Parks Department |
Franklin Park is a huge green space in Boston, Massachusetts. It covers 527 acres (about 2.1 square kilometers). This makes it Boston's biggest park! It's located near the Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester neighborhoods. The City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department takes care of it. You can also find the Franklin Park Zoo inside the park. In 1980, Franklin Park was named a special Boston Landmark.
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Discover Franklin Park: Boston's Green Gem
Franklin Park was created in the 1800s. It was designed to feel like a "country park" right in the city. It's the largest part of the famous Emerald Necklace. This is a chain of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Many people call Franklin Park the "crown jewel" of Olmsted's work in the Boston area.
Exploring Franklin Park's History and Beauty
The park was first called West Roxbury Park. It was later renamed to honor Benjamin Franklin. He was a famous Boston-born patriot. Franklin left money in his will for a good cause. The park combines beautiful nature with areas for sports and fun. You can explore 6 miles (about 9.7 km) of roads. There are also 15 miles (about 24 km) of paths for walking or riding horses.
A Park Named for Benjamin Franklin
Franklin Park offers many scenic spots. Scarboro Pond and Ellicott Arch are popular places to visit. There are also large wooded areas to explore. You can find picnic spots and old stone bridges. Look for interesting rock formations called Roxbury Puddingstone. The park also has old stone ruins in Long Crouch Woods. These are sometimes called "the Bear Dens."
Special Spots and Landmarks
Franklin Park became a Boston Landmark in 1980. It joined other parts of the Emerald Necklace. These include Boston Common and Boston Public Garden. The park is also part of the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. The city of Boston has invested $28 million to improve the park. This includes money for ongoing maintenance.
Meet the Animals at Franklin Park Zoo
The Franklin Park Zoo is a big attraction within the park. It opened in 1912 and covers 72 acres (about 29 hectares). You can see many amazing animals here. These include lions, tigers, and Masai giraffes. They also have pygmy hippos and western lowland gorillas. One of the most popular exhibits is the Tropical Forest. It opened in 1989. The zoo is the second largest in New England.
The Mystery of the Bear Dens
The Long Crouch Woods area holds a piece of park history. It's where the old "Bear Dens" were located. These were built in 1912 as part of the zoo. They were meant to house a small collection of animals. The area had a grand staircase and large iron bear cages. One cage even had a cool stone sculpture of bears.
Plans to make the Bear Dens bigger never happened. Over time, the area became too expensive to keep up. The exhibit closed in 1954. It was officially separated from the zoo in 1958. Since the 1980s, people have tried to turn Long Crouch Woods into a nature preserve. The Franklin Park Coalition helped clean up the area in 2002. They also received a grant in 2007 to fix up the paths. Young people from the community helped with this project.
Get Active: Sports and Fun in the Park
Franklin Park is a great place for sports. It has the William J. Devine Memorial Golf Course. This is one of the oldest public golf courses in the country. You can also find tennis courts, baseball fields, and basketball courts. The Boston Rugby Football Club plays its games here. There are big open fields for lacrosse and soccer. On Sunday afternoons, you might even see a cricket game.
Running Wild: Cross Country Courses
The park is very famous for cross country races. Many high school and college teams compete here. Franklin Park hosts important events like the Massachusetts All-States Meet. It also hosts the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship every other year. The park has courses for different distances, from 3,000 meters to 10,000 meters. In 1992, Franklin Park even hosted the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. The courses include loops around White Stadium, up Bear Cage Hill, and through the wooded wilderness.
A Cool First: Ice Hockey History
Franklin Park holds a special place in ice hockey history. It's where the "first game of intercollegiate ice hockey" was played in the United States. This happened on January 19, 1898. Students from Brown University traveled to Boston. They found a frozen pond in Franklin Park. They asked other skaters to move aside and played against students from Harvard University. The next day, the Boston Herald reported the score: Brown 6, Harvard 0.
Enjoy a Show at the Playhouse
Franklin Park has an outdoor performance area called the "Playhouse in the Park." This space was started by Elma Lewis. Many famous musicians have performed here. These include Duke Ellington, the Billy Taylor Trio, and the Boston Pops.
Schoolmaster Hill: A Poet's Retreat
Before the park existed, a famous writer lived here. From 1823 to 1824, Ralph Waldo Emerson lived in a small cabin. It was on top of what is now called "Schoolmaster Hill." He ran a school for young ladies with his mother and brother. Emerson found inspiration for his nature poems and essays in this landscape. Today, a plaque honors Emerson's memory. Schoolmaster Hill also offers amazing views of the Blue Hills.
