Larz Anderson Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Larz Anderson Park Historic District
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General view
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts |
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| MPS | Brookline MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003245 |
| Added to NRHP | October 17, 1985 |
Larz Anderson Park is a wonderful park in Brookline, Massachusetts. It covers about 64 acres (26 hectares) of wooded land, gardens, and water features. Part of the park also reaches into Boston. This park is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
You can find many fun things here, like sports fields, picnic spots, and even an ice skating rink. The park is also home to two interesting historical places:
- Larz Anderson Auto Museum: This museum has the oldest collection of cars in the United States.
- Putterham School: This is a one-room schoolhouse from the early days of America.
Larz Anderson Park is close to Jamaica Pond. Because of this, some people think of it as an extra part of Boston's famous Emerald Necklace park system.
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Exploring Larz Anderson Park
This park is a great place to visit! You'll find ponds, lots of trees, and open fields. It's perfect for outdoor activities.
Fun Activities and Views
From the top of the main hill, you can see the amazing Boston skyline. The wide, open hills make it one of the best places around for kite-flying. Many people enjoy picnics here, and you can even use barbecue grills.
Historic Buildings and Gardens
The park has a huge building called the Carriage House. This is where the Larz Anderson Auto Museum is located. You can take a walk around the park to see the museum, the Putterham School, and several beautiful gardens. These include a water garden, a Chinese garden, a Japanese garden, and an Italian garden. There's also a bowling green.
Ice Skating Fun
The Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink is a popular spot in the park. It's named after Jack Kirrane, who grew up in Brookline. He was the captain of the U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey team that won a gold medal in 1960! The rink is built where the Andersons' Italian Garden used to be.
History of the Park
The land that is now Larz Anderson Park was first used as a farm in the 1600s by the Weld family.
The Anderson Family's Home
In 1899, a wealthy woman named Isabel Weld Perkins bought the estate. She and her husband, Larz Anderson, were very important people. Larz was a diplomat who worked in places like Paris and Japan.
The Andersons built a large, 25-room mansion on the property. They called it "Weld" to honor Isabel's family. They made it look like Lulworth Castle, a castle connected to the Weld family in England. This mansion became their summer home and where they spent Christmas holidays.
Beautiful Gardens and Legacy
The Andersons loved their gardens. Famous designer Charles A. Platt helped create them. After Larz served as an Ambassador to Japan, they added even more beautiful features. They created the Chinese and Japanese gardens, a water garden with koi fish, and outdoor sculptures. They even had a polo field and an outdoor theater!
When Isabel Anderson passed away in 1948, she gave the entire estate to the Town of Brookline. This included the mansion, the land, and their amazing collection of vehicles. Sadly, the mansion was too damaged to fix and was taken down in 1955. But the huge Carriage House and a lovely "Temple of Love" by the water garden still show how grand the estate was when the Andersons lived there.
Today, the park is used by Brookline High School for its cross country running course. It's also the home field for the school's first-ever Ultimate Frisbee team! In 2009, Larz Anderson Park won the Nicholas Rhodes Park of the Month Award.
Larz Anderson Auto Museum
The Andersons collected many different types of vehicles. They had horse-drawn carriages, sleighs, and many old motorcars. When Isabel donated the park, she made sure these vehicles would be known as the "Larz Anderson Collection." Today, 14 of the original 32 vehicles are still on display at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum.
This museum is a big New England non-profit group. It hosts many community events, talks, and programs for children. You can also take walking tours of the park and see changing exhibits about the Andersons, cars, and how cars have changed society.
Putterham School
The Putterham School is a historic building that was built in 1768 in another part of Brookline. In 1966, it was moved to Larz Anderson Park. Now, it's an educational museum. You can see old books, teaching tools, schoolroom equipment, and other items from the past.
The school is open from June to October on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, from noon to 3 PM. If you're part of a school group or want to visit at another time, members of the Brookline Historical Society can open the museum by appointment.
Images for kids
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The "Temple of Love"
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Close-up
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Bridge viewed from temple
