Franklin Park

Emerald Necklace's Franklin Park, Job #00918, Boston, MA

Olmsted Archives

Quick Facts

Location:

Boston, MA

Significance:

Olmsted Designed Park

MANAGED BY:

Emerald Necklace Conservancy

This "country park" is the largest park- almost 500 acres- and crowning jewel of the Emerald Necklace. Named for Benjamin Franklin, the park was to provide "complete escape from the town" and brings together rural scenery, 200 acres of woodlands, and active recreation facilities. These include tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields, the region's premier cross country track, and an 18-hole golf course. A 72-acre zoo is also part of what the park has to offer, along with miles of some of the best walking trails in the city. 

At Franklin Park, design was done by subtraction; removing existing plants while keeping most of the old trees. Olmsted believed that decisions relating to Franklin Park would be “of greater lasting consequence”, determining the quality of life in the city for years to come.  While Boston evolves, so does Franklin Park, with a public golf course being added in 1896, to Olmsted’s dismay, and a zoo in 1912. Though it has developed past the “country park” Olmsted envisioned, its purpose as a place for quiet enjoyment of the natural scenery remains.

Source: "Franklin Park," The Cultural Landscape Foundation

For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Online