Playstead

Playstead, Job #00918, Boston, MA

Olmsted Archives

Quick Facts

Location:

Boston, MA

Significance:

Olmsted Designed Landscape

MANAGED BY:

Emerald Necklace Conservancy

An area set aside for recreational purposes, a local newspaper once described it as “the finest playground ever set apart for children’s exclusive use in this country”. Since its construction, the Playstead has been used to house elephant exhibits for the Franklin Park Zoo, and the area was transformed into a victory garden after World War II. In 1888, the Olmsted firm complained that baseball was ruining the Playstead, which was only ever intended for the games of young children, and occasionally tennis and croquet.  No longer exclusively for children, today’s Playstead offers a large sports area.

Source: "Franklin Park," The Cultural Landscape Foundation

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Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr 
Olmsted Online