Forest Park (Springfield)
Encyclopedia
Forest Park, on the banks of the Connecticut River
in Springfield, Massachusetts
, is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States
, lying on 735 acres (297.4 ha) of land. During the holiday season it features the nationally renowned Bright Nights light festival, a 2.6 mile high-tech lighting display.
arms producer and later as a businessman, developing clamp-on ice skates and rollerskates. In 1890 Barney built an elaborate, turreted -story Victorian mansion on a hill at the west end of his estate, which is now Forest Park. The Barney Mansion featured a spectacular view of the Connecticut River
and Metro Center
Springfield. Greenleaf and Barney convinced several of their wealthy friends and neighbors to donate much of the remaining land that would become the 735-acre Forest Park. The bulk of this land was, at the time, in the town of Longmeadow, Massachusetts
. Ultimately, Longmeadow ceded control of the park to the City of Springfield.
The Barney Mansion was used for park events until the early 1950s, by which time it was considered a fire hazard due to its lack of sprinklers. In the 1950s about 50 acres (20.2 ha) of the park, including 15 acres (6.1 ha) of the former Barney estate, were taken to construct the Springfield/Longmeadow sections of Interstate 91, which severed the places' connections to the Connecticut River
. Barney's house stood atop the hill at the northwest corner of the park, and the highway construction may have threatened its foundations, so assuming it was razed. Barney's stained glass windows were moved to a house in Palmer, Massachusetts
where the demolition contractor lived at the time. The mausoleum of Barney's son and a carriage house still survive from the estate, along with many remnants of an extensive arboretum and water gardens planted by Barney around 1900. The developer of the Forest Park
neighborhood http://www.forestparkca.com/ continued this theme by planting many interesting specimen trees, especially around Magnolia Terrace. This historic neighborhood with many fine examples of Victorian houses abuts the park on the north, while a small enclave of Springfield's stately brick colonial homes and the town of Longmeadow, Massachusetts borders the park to the south.
and ice-skating rink, Cyr Arena; several baseball
diamonds and grandstands; a rose garden
; a bocce
court; a lawn bowling court; basketball and tennis courts; an aquatic park; several promenades; a beach volleyball
court; several tree groves; picnic areas; America's first public swimming pool (1899;) ponds with various waterfowl, and an exhibit of ancient dinosaur
tracks.
The ruggedly contoured valley of Pecousic Brook occupies more than half of the south side of the Forest Park. This area has been left largely Naturalist
in style, although it features many walking trails and a few elegant bridges. It is home to many species of birds and wildlife.
The statue at the entrance to Forest Park was created by Peter Wolf Toth
and is part of the Trial of the Whispering Giants. The statue represents Omiskanoagwiak.
Since 1970, the Environmental Center for Our Schools (or ECOS, as it is commonly called) takes all Springfield public school students in grades 4 through 7 on a two day environmental learning outing in Forest Park. The headquarters of this organization is located in Forest Park.
. Many scenes are animated; others are simply decorative. One of the spectacles' most elaborate exhibits is a replica of Everett Barney's mansion. Viewers in automobiles queue up to drive for approximately 2 miles along a meandering path through the park to see the displays. Each year Bright Nights changes and becomes more elaborate. http://www.brightnights.org/tour/barneyman/pages/barneymansion.html
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, is one of the largest municipal parks in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, lying on 735 acres (297.4 ha) of land. During the holiday season it features the nationally renowned Bright Nights light festival, a 2.6 mile high-tech lighting display.
History
In 1884, Springfielder O.H. Greenleaf offered 65 acres (26.3 ha) for the establishment of a park to be named Forest Park. Shortly after, approximately 178 acres (72 ha) were donated by wealthy philanthropist Everett Hosmer Barney. Initially, Barney made his fortune as a Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
arms producer and later as a businessman, developing clamp-on ice skates and rollerskates. In 1890 Barney built an elaborate, turreted -story Victorian mansion on a hill at the west end of his estate, which is now Forest Park. The Barney Mansion featured a spectacular view of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
and Metro Center
Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
Metro Center is the original colonial settlement of Springfield, Massachusetts, located beside a bend in the Connecticut River. As of 2011, Metro Center features a majority of Western Massachusetts' most important cultural, business, and civic venues...
Springfield. Greenleaf and Barney convinced several of their wealthy friends and neighbors to donate much of the remaining land that would become the 735-acre Forest Park. The bulk of this land was, at the time, in the town of Longmeadow, Massachusetts
Longmeadow, Massachusetts
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,633 people, 5,734 households, and 4,432 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 5,879 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.42% White, 0.69% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.90%...
. Ultimately, Longmeadow ceded control of the park to the City of Springfield.
The Barney Mansion was used for park events until the early 1950s, by which time it was considered a fire hazard due to its lack of sprinklers. In the 1950s about 50 acres (20.2 ha) of the park, including 15 acres (6.1 ha) of the former Barney estate, were taken to construct the Springfield/Longmeadow sections of Interstate 91, which severed the places' connections to the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. Barney's house stood atop the hill at the northwest corner of the park, and the highway construction may have threatened its foundations, so assuming it was razed. Barney's stained glass windows were moved to a house in Palmer, Massachusetts
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
where the demolition contractor lived at the time. The mausoleum of Barney's son and a carriage house still survive from the estate, along with many remnants of an extensive arboretum and water gardens planted by Barney around 1900. The developer of the Forest Park
Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts
Forest Park is a Victorian garden district located in Springfield, Massachusetts, developed between 1880 and 1920. It is the city's most populous neighborhood, and surrounds the 735-acre Frederick Law Olmstead-designed Forest Park, for which the neighborhood is named. The Forest Park neighborhood...
neighborhood http://www.forestparkca.com/ continued this theme by planting many interesting specimen trees, especially around Magnolia Terrace. This historic neighborhood with many fine examples of Victorian houses abuts the park on the north, while a small enclave of Springfield's stately brick colonial homes and the town of Longmeadow, Massachusetts borders the park to the south.
Attractions
Among the Forest Park's notable year-round attractions are the Forest Park Zoo, which features large cats, great apes, seals, camels, and an elephant popularly known as Morganetta; several playgrounds; an ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and ice-skating rink, Cyr Arena; several baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
diamonds and grandstands; a rose garden
Rose garden
A Rose garden or Rosarium is a garden or park, often open to the public, used to present and grow various types of garden roses. Designs vary tremendously and roses may be displayed alongside other plants or grouped by individual variety, colour or class in rose beds.-Origins of the rose...
; a bocce
Bocce
Bocce is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire...
court; a lawn bowling court; basketball and tennis courts; an aquatic park; several promenades; a beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
court; several tree groves; picnic areas; America's first public swimming pool (1899;) ponds with various waterfowl, and an exhibit of ancient dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
tracks.
The ruggedly contoured valley of Pecousic Brook occupies more than half of the south side of the Forest Park. This area has been left largely Naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
in style, although it features many walking trails and a few elegant bridges. It is home to many species of birds and wildlife.
The statue at the entrance to Forest Park was created by Peter Wolf Toth
Peter Wolf Toth
Peter Wolf Toth is a Hungarian-born sculptor, who immigrated to the United States and settled in Akron, Ohio. He later studied art at the University of Akron. He created a series of sculptures called Trail of the Whispering Giants to honor Native Americans...
and is part of the Trial of the Whispering Giants. The statue represents Omiskanoagwiak.
Since 1970, the Environmental Center for Our Schools (or ECOS, as it is commonly called) takes all Springfield public school students in grades 4 through 7 on a two day environmental learning outing in Forest Park. The headquarters of this organization is located in Forest Park.
Camp STAR
During Summer, Camp STAR/Angelina is an inclusive camp for children of all abilities, ages 3 to 22 years old. Some of the special needs populations the camp has worked with include: developmental delays, ADD/ADHD, emotional problems, learning disabilities, and visual and hearing impairments, to name just a few. Camp STAR/Angelina is a 6 week summer program. The camp is located on the outskirts of Forest Park off Trafton Road and activities include swimming, sports, games, crafts, field trips and an end of camp variety show.Bright Nights
Bright Nights at Forest Park is a national attraction during the Christmas and Chanukah seasons. Bright Nights is a lighting spectacle that features time and color coordinated lighting exhibits. Trees and sculptures are decorated to look like various scenes and characters, including many from the works of Springfield native Dr. SeussDr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
. Many scenes are animated; others are simply decorative. One of the spectacles' most elaborate exhibits is a replica of Everett Barney's mansion. Viewers in automobiles queue up to drive for approximately 2 miles along a meandering path through the park to see the displays. Each year Bright Nights changes and becomes more elaborate. http://www.brightnights.org/tour/barneyman/pages/barneymansion.html