Lewis Fulton Memorial Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Lewis Fulton Memorial Park
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Roughly bounded by Cook, Pine, Fern and Charlotte Sts., Waterbury, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Area | 70.5 acres (28.5 ha) |
| Built | 1920 |
| Architect | E.C. Whiting, Olmsted Bros. Landscape Architects |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, Early 20th Century Landscape |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001951 |
| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1990 |
Lewis Fulton Memorial Park is a cool public park in Waterbury, Connecticut. It was built in the 1920s by William Fulton. He was a rich businessman who wanted to remember his son, Lewis. Famous landscape designers, the Olmsted Brothers, planned the park. It has lots of fun things to do, like sports and quiet places to relax. The park became a historic place in 1990.
Discovering Fulton Park: A Historic Green Space
Fulton Park is a large area, about 70 acres big. It has a unique, uneven shape. The park is bordered by Cooke Street on the west and Pine Street on the south. Residential areas are to the east and north.
Park Layout and Fun Areas
The park is divided into three main parts. One section is north of Greenwood Avenue. This part was built last. It has a big athletic field and tennis courts. The southern parts of the park have two ponds. These are called the Upper and Lower Ponds.
The Olmsted Brothers focused on these pond areas. They added many peaceful spots for relaxing. You can find a rock garden, a rose garden, and a lilac path there. East of the Upper Pond, there's a wide-open space. This area is also used for sports fields.
How Fulton Park Was Created
The land where Fulton Park now sits was once part of Waterbury's water supply. This system started in 1859. The city bought it in 1879. Later, a bigger water system was built in the 1890s. The old system became a backup. By the 1910s, it was no longer used because one of its streams became polluted.
William Fulton, who owned a company called Fulton Foundry Corporation, had an idea. He wanted to turn the old reservoir into a public park. This park would be a special way to remember his son, Lewis. The city liked his idea. William Fulton paid for much of the early work himself. He hired the famous Olmsted Brothers firm to design the park.
Money was tight, so the park was built in stages. This happened between 1920 and 1925. The design was mostly done by E.C. Whiting. It shows typical Olmsted style. They used the land's natural features well. They also added many structures throughout the park.
