Schenley Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schenley Park |
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Cathedral of Learning seen from Panther Hollow Lake
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| Type | Municipal Park |
| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Area | 456 acres (185 ha) |
| Created | October 30, 1889 |
| Operated by | Pittsburgh Parks Conservatory, City of Pittsburgh |
| Status | Open all year |
| Website | www.pittsburghparks.org/schenley |
| Location | Schenley Dr. and Panther Hollow Rd., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Built | 1889 |
| Architect | Edward Manning Bigelow |
| Architectural style | Mixed (more Than 2 styles from different periods) |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003506 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1985 |
Schenley Park is a big park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's located between the neighborhoods of Oakland, Greenfield, and Squirrel Hill. This park is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic area. In 2011, a magazine called Travel + Leisure even named it one of "America's Coolest City Parks"!
The park started with 300 acres of land. This land was given by a woman named Mary Schenley in 1889. The city later bought another 120 acres from her. Over time, 36 more acres were added. Now, the park is 456 acres in total. This makes it the second largest park in Pittsburgh, right after Frick Park. Schenley Park is also right next to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Part of Carnegie Mellon University is actually inside the park!
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Fun Things to Do in Schenley Park
Schenley Park has a grand entrance called Schenley Plaza. You can find many miles of hiking trails here. There's also a large pond in an area called Panther Hollow. Near the Phipps Conservatory is Flagstaff Hill. This is a popular spot to watch outdoor movies during the summer.
Sports and Games
In the past, the area known as "The Oval" was used for horse racing. Today, it's a busy sports area. You can find 13 tennis courts there. There's also a running track for all kinds of weather and a soccer field. Close by, you can go ice skating or swimming in the public pool. The park also has an 18-hole disc golf course.
Schenley Park is home to the Bob O'Connor Golf Course. This golf course has a cool indoor practice area. Golfers can play a "virtual" game on famous courses like Pebble Beach. The park is also a popular place for cross country running. The cross country teams from Carnegie Mellon University train here. In 1921, a big national cross country championship was held in the park.
Exciting Yearly Events
Schenley Park hosts some really fun events every year.
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Since 1983, the park has been the home of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. This is a race for old, classic cars. It happens every year in mid-July. It's a great chance to see amazing vintage cars race!
Race for the Cure
Since 1993, the park has also hosted the Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure. This event raises money to fight breast cancer. It's a tradition on Mother's Day and brings together over 35,000 people.
Carnegie Mellon University's Spring Carnival
Carnegie Mellon University has an annual event called Spring Carnival. During this carnival, they have a special buggy race called Sweepstakes. The race takes place on Tech Avenue, Schenley Drive, and Frew Street, which are all part of the park area.
A Look Back: Park History
The story of Schenley Park begins with Mary Elizabeth Croghan. In 1842, when Mary was 15, she married Captain Edward Schenley. They moved to England. Mary's family tried to stop her from getting her inheritance, but they didn't succeed. Mary's grandfather, General James O'Hara, left her a large piece of land. This land was known as the "Mt. Airy Tract."
Mary's land was very valuable. Land developers in Pittsburgh wanted to buy it. Edward Manning Bigelow, who was in charge of Public Works in Pittsburgh, also wanted the land for a park. In 1889, Bigelow found out that a land developer was going to London to try and buy the land from Mary. Bigelow quickly sent a lawyer by train to New York City. From there, the lawyer took a steamer to England. He arrived two days before the land developer's agent!
After talking with Mary, Bigelow's lawyer made a deal. Mary agreed to give 300 acres of her land to the city of Pittsburgh. The city also had the option to buy 120 more acres. The main conditions were that the park had to be named after her and could never be sold. The city agreed and bought the extra 120 acres right away.
Bigelow then started to develop the new Schenley Park for people to enjoy. He hired William Falconer to manage the Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, which was built in 1893. In 1895, Andrew Carnegie built the Carnegie Museum and Music Hall nearby. This helped make Oakland and Schenley Park important cultural places.
For many years, Forbes Field, the baseball stadium for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was right next to Schenley Park. It was there from 1909 to 1970.
Newer Changes to the Park
- In 2001, the Schenley Park Visitor Center opened after a lot of repairs. This building was one of the park's first structures. It had been used as a tool shed, a garden center, and a nature museum before closing in the late 1980s.
- In spring 2006, the Schenley Plaza area was changed back to how it was first designed. It was meant to be a grand entrance to the park. For many years, it had been used as a parking lot. Now, this new park area has a carousel and small food stands.
Images for kids
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Christopher Columbus statue
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Bob O'Connor Golf Course, First Tee
