Hartwood Acres Park Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Hartwood Acres Park
Hartwood Mansion as seen from the northeast corner
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Type	Municipal
Location	Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Area	629-acre (255 ha)

Hartwood Acres is a huge park in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It covers about 629 acres, which is like 475 football fields! People often call it the "crown jewel" because it's one of the most special parks in the county's big network of nine parks.

This park is famous for its amazing country estate. It has a grand mansion built in the Tudor style, beautiful English gardens, a cozy cottage, stables for horses, and a gate lodge. The mansion was started in 1927 and finished in 1929. It was designed by Alfred Hopkins for John and Mary Flinn Lawrence and is filled with old English and American furniture.

Hartwood Acres is located about 10 miles northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh. Most of the park is covered in forests. It also has a big stage for concerts, like the Free Summer Concert Series and the Allegheny County Music Festival. You can find about 30 miles of trails here for horse riding, walking, hiking, biking, and even cross-country skiing in winter! The park was once very well-known for its "Festival of Lights," a big outdoor light show during the holidays that helped local charities. This event doesn't happen anymore.

History of Hartwood Acres
Outdoor Sculptures
Gallery
See also

History of Hartwood Acres

Hartwood Acres was created by Mary Flinn Lawrence, a kind person from Pittsburgh who used her money to help others. She got her money from her father, Senator William Flinn. In the 1920s, Mary and her husband, John Lawrence, asked architect Alfred Hopkins to design their home. They wanted it to look like a manor house they had seen in England.

The result was a grand stone house with 31 rooms and a slate roof, built around a large main hall. Mary loved horses, so she turned her estate into a place for horse riding. She built miles of riding trails, special rings for horse shows, and stables covered in ivy. The horse stalls inside the stables were made of shiny oak wood.

In 1969, the Allegheny Parks Commission bought about 400 acres of land and riding trails from Mary. John Lawrence had passed away in 1945. Mary had a few important rules for the sale:

She and her servants could live in the mansion until she passed away.
The land could never be divided up and sold in smaller pieces.
The county also had to buy her sister Edith's home, called Harkaway Farm. This area is now where the amphitheater for concerts is located.

Mary Flinn Lawrence passed away on October 29, 1974. In 1976, Hartwood Acres officially opened as a park for everyone to enjoy.

Outdoor Sculptures

As you explore Hartwood Acres Park, you'll find eleven large outdoor sculptures. These artworks were created by famous artists and are part of the park's permanent collection. They add a unique touch to the natural beauty of the park.