Elm Park (Worcester, Massachusetts)

Elm Park is an historic park in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Elm Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Location	Elm Park, Worcester, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°16′3″N 71°49′13″W
Built	1854
Architect	Lincoln, Edward Winslow
MPS	Worcester MRA
NRHP reference No.	70000096 [1]
Added to NRHP	July 01, 1970

The land the park resides on was purchased in 1854, making it one of the first public purchases of land expressly intended for use as a municipal park in the United States,[2] after Bushnell Park in Hartford, purchased earlier that year.[3] (This is not to be confused with the oldest public park, Boston Common, established in 1634.)

Elm Park originally consisted of the land bordered by Park Avenue, Russell Street, Elm Street and Highland Street. In 1888, Newton Hill, just across Park Avenue, was purchased by the City of Worcester bringing the total park area to 60 acres (24 ha).[4] The original portion of Elm Park (east of Park Avenue) was, up until the 1890s, merely more than pasture land. Beginning in 1909, it was redesigned and landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers firm.[5][6][3] The firm landscaped additional elements in 1939–1941.[7]

The park contains meandering walking paths through the landscaping, a pond crossed by two iconic footbridges and a playground. The Newton Hill portion of Elm Park (west of Park Avenue) remains far less landscaped and contains basketball and tennis courts, walking trails and also Doherty Memorial High School, a high school within the Worcester Public Schools system.[4] St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral (founded around 1920) is located adjacent to the park on Russell Street.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.[1]

Photos

• 
  Footpaths
• 
  The "Iron Bridge"
• 
  The pond
• 
  Doherty High School

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in northwestern Worcester, Massachusetts
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
2. City of Worcester, City Parks, Parks & Recreation Dept.
3. Fitzpatrick, Nicole (July 29, 2013). "Elm Park may be old, but it was not the first park in the U.S." Telegram & Gazette.
4. City of Worcester, Elm Park, Parks & Recreation Dept.
5. City of Worcester, Parks, Division of Economic Development
6. Massachusetts DCR, Regional Historic Context document PDF, pages 24, 32, 36
7. Herwitz, Evelyn (May 24, 2012). "Elm Park's Claims to Fame: The Real Story". Trees at Risk. Missing or empty |url= (help)