Franklin Park, Boston
| Franklin Park | |
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Franklin Park, Boston, 19th-20th century
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| Location | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°18′5″N 71°5′40″W / 42.30139°N 71.09444°WCoordinates: 42°18′5″N 71°5′40″W / 42.30139°N 71.09444°W |
| Area | 527 acres (2.13 km2) |
| Established | 19th century |
| Governing body | The City of Boston, Parks Department |
Franklin Park, a partially wooded 527-acre (2.13 km2) parkland in the Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts, is maintained by the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department. It is Boston's biggest park and the site of Franklin Park Zoo. It was designated a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission in 1980.
Considered a country park when it was formed in the 19th century, Franklin Park is the largest and last component of the Emerald Necklace created by Frederick Law Olmsted. Although often neglected in the past, it is considered the "crown jewel" of Olmsted's work in Greater Boston.
Franklin Park, previously known as West Roxbury Park, was renamed in honor of Boston born patriot Benjamin Franklin, who documented in his will that he wished for a portion of his estate to be given to a worthy cause. The park brings together rural scenery, a woodland preserve, and areas for active recreation and sports. Franklin Park also has six miles (10 km) of roads and fifteen miles (24 km) of pedestrian and bridle paths to explore.
Much of Franklin Park is scenic and devoted to the general use and enjoyment of the public. Scarboro Pond and Ellicott Arch are popular sites within the park, as are the large forested areas. The park also has picnic areas, stone bridges, outcroppings of Roxbury Puddingstone, and old stone ruins, specifically the Long Crouch Woods of Roxbury—also known as "the Bear Dens."
Franklin Park Zoo is located within the park grounds. Founded in 1912, the 72-acre (290,000 m2) zoo has such exotic animals as lions, tigers, pygmy hippos, Masai giraffes, budgerigars, Amur leopards, western lowland gorillas, and Grevy's zebra. One of its most popular exhibit attractions, the Tropical Forest (formerly called the African Tropical Forest), opened in September 1989. The zoo is the second largest zoo in New England, after the Southwick's Zoo in Mendon.
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Wikipedia