0:;690* 0;,: the Original General Plan for Franklin Park Did Not Include a Permanent Water Feature
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Heathfield and Shattuck Hospital Named for a Boston bookseller, Lemuel Shattuck Hospital was built in the 1950s to treat the chronically ill. The hospital resides on what was once Heathfield, a meadow that featured a footpath to the summit of Rock Morton—once within given the nickname Lover’s Leap. 0:;690* 0;,: The original General Plan for Franklin Park did not include a permanent water feature. At the request Franklin Park of the public, the city of Boston requested that Schoolmaster Hill, present day. Olmsted design what would become Scarboro Sheep Meadow, Golf Course Pond. Today, waterfowl and other wildlife make Selected Resources the pond a park favorite. n the heart of Boston lies Franklin Golf Clubhouse and Course–Schoolmaster Hill Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site Park, crown jewel in the Emerald Necklace and Golf has a long history in Franklin Park dating Dorchester Historical Society cherished historic landscape. back to 1896. The first official course was planned Jamaica Plain Historical Society in Olmsted’s Country Park. The current Golf Boston Public Library Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American Clubhouse is the only publicly accessible venue Images of America: Franklin Park by Julie Arrison landscape architecture, designed Franklin Park that offers a food concession and restrooms in the in the 1880s driven by a special purpose. He park. Franklin Park is managed and maintained by the transformed what in his words was a marginal pasture and woodlands into a prominent The Refectory, meant to be the main building to Boston Parks and Recreation Department. landscape considered one of his best works. provide refreshment for park users, was designed More important than the stunning landscape, by Boston architects Hartwell and Richardson in Italianate style. From its construction in 1896 until Olmsted created this park as a refuge for the its ultimate decline and demolition in 1976, the public to enjoy rural scenery and recreation. building had many incarnations, including public Franklin Park Coalition aims to ensure Franklin library branch and hospital. Supporter Co-Supporter Park continues to play that important role today. Schoolmaster Hill was named for Ralph Waldo Franklin Park Coalition is a not-for-profit Emerson who was a schoolmaster in Roxbury organization expanding community involvement Over the last century since the park was from 1823-1828. Designed using the natural in park advocacy and stewardship. completed, the landscape and buildings have puddingstone surroundings, the site offers experienced dramatic changes along with sweeping views of the Country Park and Great the evolving demographic makeup of the Blue Hills. franklin surrounding neighborhoods. New institutions have appeared and only the ruins of a number Zoo–99 Steps park of the original structures remain. With little Located in Long Crouch Woods, the Bear Dens coalition interpretation of these remnants, history tours were built in 1912 and housed bears up until 1971. of the park have long been a way to educate Popular among park visitors, the exhibit opened P.O. Box 302333, Boston, MA 02130 the public and reclaim an important cultural to a crowd of 10,000 people. During hard financial [email protected] legacy. times and World War II, children of Boston formed To become a member or volunteer, the “Save the Animals Club,” saving their pennies visit our website: www.franklinparkcoalition.org to buy food for the bears. or call 617.442.4141 $hether you visit the park frequently or Designed as a low-slung rustic lodge, the occasionally, you may be curious about the history Overlook Shelter featured a refreshment stand, Design and layout, front and back cover photos: Jill K. Conley of the puddingstone foundations, old zoo exhibits locker rooms and a stone viewing promontory or and other locales. This guide offers a glimpse overlook, combining fine form with considerable Ellicott Arch, present day into the past through three distinct history tours. function. In the 1960s, arts educator, Elma Lewis gave the space new life as Playhouse in the Park. Ellicott Arch–Franklin Park Nursery Ellicott Arch was designed by John Charles 65 contiguous acres compose a typical New Olmsted to frame the vista of Ellicottdale and England forest known as the Wilderness that beyond. Ellicottdale’s rolling meadows were provides park visitors with a tranquil setting. franklin the site for grass tennis and croquet courts. The Olmsted favored harmonious groups of trees and Ellicott Shelter, completed in 1895, provided irregularly scattered plantings of shrubs that have park accommodations for the players in this matured into lush, natural woodlands. coalition picturesque setting. Cover photo: Bear Dens, present day Walnut Ave wofarC E Hutchings St Zoo–99 Steps Tour I f f yel dR d St r Ellicott Nursery Tour Haverford St Zoo-99 Steps Tour netS vhtuR netS notS tnaslaP notS datS etsemoH datS 1 Franklin Park Zoo lebetnoM ol dR 3 12 Washington St i e w S Vt Wilderness Pakr ev 2 Long Crouch Woods A Peter Parley RdkraP aL 5 Htdulmob LEGENDe 13 Ellicottdale Cottage 3 Bear Dens E Pedestrian Entrance igroeG atS 14 Ellicottdale Arch White 4 P E Playstead P Stadium 4 seboR notS Restroom 15 Ellicottdale E #22 nihctuH sgtS White Stadium #29 Chene Sty 5 GREEN ST. noseRbo Emergency Call Box 16 Heathfield and the Shattuck yetS nruogiS yetS dR t p o n r e i P #44 STATION F htaopto 6 The Steading delkoorB egtS w e l St 2 Bus Stop Schuyler St 17 Scarboro Hill The P l ya s t dae dR Overlook Hatr 7 Steading Subway Station lMpa etS dR nelG dR E l m Hill Ave 18 Scarboro Pond amtS onoS amtS 8 Playhouse in the Park Overlook The Parking 19 Rock Milton/Rock Morton E 6 Ruins Playstead P 9 Wilderness 20 Nursery 1 W Hagbourne Hill 10 7 E ya entS 11 99 Steps Forest Hills St 8 P izaN gntS 9 vreaeS tS THE VALLEY Clubhouse - Schoolmaster Hill Tour WILDERNESS GATES Je wis h W FRANKLIN PARK ZOO ar 10 V P e #16 te Hagborne ra n Hill s D evirD tiucriC evirD r iv e mt Wi l l i smatS 11 23 E Zoo 24 t 26 S sl l iH tseroF iH l sl S Main Entrance Old Rd 12 P #14# 14 P 25 #25# #28# 13 15 #29# #16 Ellicott Dale GOLF COURSE E #16 Golf Club 21 22 House Mc Lellan St RESTING PLACE P E 16 17 SCARBORO L-R: Ellicott Cottage (Courtesy of Dorchester Historical Shattuck Society), Country Park (Courtesy of NPS Frederick Law HILL Mother’s rahC tol t etS L-R: Playstead (Courtesy of Boston Public Library), Zoo Hospital Rest Olmsted), Ellicott Arch (Courtesy of Franklin Park Coalition), Postcard of Rock Morton, Refectory (Courtesy of Historic Entrance (Credit: Jill K Conley), White Stadium (Credit: Jill K. Forest Conley), Overlook (Courtesy of Dorchester Historical Society), New England), Scarboro Pond (Courtesy of Boston Hills omsE dntS Playhouse in the Park (Courtesy of Franklin Park Coalition), Blue Hill Ave. Public Library), Left Inset: Postcard of Schoolmaster Hill 99 Steps (Courtesy of Franklin Park Coalition) Below: Bear Cemetery 203 E W Dens (Courtesy of Boston Public Library Print Collection) naciremA noigeL Hyw 18 la setS 21 Golf Clubhouse/Country Park 22 Refectory Hill 19 SCARBORO POND oStrMo t notS e obbA ttS v i 23 Blue Hill Avenue Shelter r edlCa rtS 28 D E it u legnA l tS 24 The Greeting rc i P V C emA r i geLnac i o Hnyw 1 Aev l l B l eu iH 25 Peabody Circle adR t e s 26 Schoolmaster Hill Park dR nodnahS dR Rangers vAe Ellicott Nursery Tour Fermoy Hts avraH drtS 20 Office W Franklnil Ave.Hil Clubhouse - Schoolmaster Hill Tour rb i trebl R d Parks Dept..