What’s the Oldest Park In Syracuse?
Interesting Question. There could be several answers. First, a bit about the historical development of the concept of a park.
Parks Don’t Just happen……..
The Phases of Park Evolution and Development – Galen Cranz 1982:
- Pre Parks Settlement – 1850
- Public Squares, Villiage Greens Designed to Accommodate Civic Functions
- Washington Square, Hanover Square, Clinton Square
Pleasure Ground 1850 – 1900
- Large Scenic Naturalistic Spaces Designed to Provide Escape from Urban Environment Usually Outside City Limits (at least at time of creation)
- Elmwood, Upper Onondaga, Burnett, Schiller, Lincoln
Reform 1900 – 1930
- Smaller, Designed to Provide a Positive Influence on Urban Working Class Through Structured
- Recreational Activity Usually serving a Neighborhood and often adjacent to schools
- Frazer, Lewis
Recreational 1930 – 1965
- Smaller than Pleasure Ground Designed from the start as a Multiple Use Recreational Facility
- Sunnycrest
So, as we can see, Syracuse’s oldest park began as a public square. But which one? The answer is Washington Square Park.
First some history.
Village of Salina created sometime prior to 1799.
Probably oldest park in Syracuse is Washington Square Park which dates back to Salina’s Centre Square laid out in 1799.
Village of Syracuse and the Village of Salina were combined into the City of Syracuse on December 14, 1847. Harvey Baldwin first mayor of the new city.
City Parks Commission formed 1906 as an independent entity. David Campbell first Parks Commissioner. He was former caretaker of the Davis Estate which became Thornden Park.
Campbell hired George Kessler to create a park and boulevard Emerald Necklace system a la Fredrick Law Olmstead. Also Lower Onondaga and Schiller Parks.
City Parks Department created 1917
Syracuse owns some 172 parks, playgrounds and public greenspaces, and about 71 are named as parks.
Syracuse has about 32% of the County’s population and 61% of the County’s municipal parks.
Back to Washington Square Park.
In 1696 It was the site of the Frontenac Invasion encampment during the French Campaign against the Onondagas
In 1799 it became the Center Square of the village of Salina thus becoming the forerunner of a public Park
In 1805 it was the site of Church and first Public School in Area
It has also been used as an early Village Cemetery
In 1839 it is dedicated as a park in the Village of Salina
In 1847 it becomes a City of Syracuse Park
In 1908 fountain sculpture by Syracusan Gail Sherman Corbitt placed as part of Kirkpatrick Bequests 1900 by Wm Kirkpatrick Jr. Other two are Parrot Boy in Demong Park and Indian Bowman in Union Park. Both of these have been lost or removed. Parrot Boy roumered to be somewhere in storage at Burnet Park Zoo.
-Paul Pflanz
