Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park
Encyclopedia
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Park (originally named League Island Park and locally known as the "Lakes") is an aesthetically designed park located along the Delaware River in the southern most point of South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprising some 348 acres (1.4 km²) which includes a 146 acre (0.59084156 km²) golf course, about 125 acre (0.5058575 km²) of buildings, roadways, pathways for walking, landscaped architecture
, and a variety of picnic and recreation areas placed within about 77 acres (311,608.2 m²) of natural lands including ponds and lagoons.
on South Broad Street, Interstate highway-95/Philadelphia Naval Yard and Pattison Avenue/ Packer Park
residential neighborhood. Many Philadelphians enjoy it as a green "Oasis" for a variety of recreational activities, while sport and entertainment event patrons attending games and events at the nearby stadium complex know it as an alternative place for offsite parking.
, the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted
and John Charles Olmsted
in the early 1900s. The parkland was reclaimed mostly from marshlands of Greenwhich Island one of several islands in the area created by river channels present in the 1700 and 1800's. The use of the park for the Sesquicentennial Exposition
in 1926 and subsequent improvements have moderately changed the original design, keeping the main character of the park west of Broad Street. The original plan of the Olmsted Brothers still remains highly visible and significant west of Broad Street. The official name was changed from League Island Park to Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in the late 1940s and a Golf Course was constructed. The Park's boathouse, gazebo and American Swedish Historical Museum
are current reminders of the 1926 Exposition.
, a hydrographic province which includes extreme southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The Coastal Plain supports different plants and animals than the adjacent Piedmont
of Pennsylvania. Because of the extreme development of the Coastal Plain in Pennsylvania, many of these distinctive plants and animals are rare in the state.
The ponds and lagoons are remnants of the tidal marsh and channel system which originally occupied the area between the Schuylkill
and Delaware
rivers. Diking, draining and filling of these marshes probably started with the first settlement of the area by the Swedes in the early 17th century, culminating in the installation of a tide gate designed to permit drainage from the park while minimizing inflow from the Delaware River.
The Pennsylvania Audubon Society has designated the park as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Birds that have natural habitat to watch for in the park are Shovelers, Gadwall
, Wigeon
, Ring-necks, Bufflehead
, Redhead
, Scaup
, Ruddy's, Pintail
, Pied-billed grebes, Snow Geese, Canada Goose
, and herons.
In addition to Mallards and Canada Geese the park attracts large numbers of Northern Shovelers, Gadwall, as well as American and Eurasian Wigeon, Redhead, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Ducks, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, American Black Ducks, and other rarer duck species. And there are also Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorants, American Coots and other kinds of non-duck waterfowl. These large charismatic birds are easy to spot even if your a non experienced birder and there is no better place in Philadelphia to view them.
On top of all that many other kinds of birds occur at the park from warblers to raptors making the park one of the finest birding areas around Pennsylvania.
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
, and a variety of picnic and recreation areas placed within about 77 acres (311,608.2 m²) of natural lands including ponds and lagoons.
Location
Bordered by the South Philadelphia Sports ComplexSouth Philadelphia Sports Complex
The South Philadelphia Sports Complex is the current home of Philadelphia's professional sports teams. It is the site of the Wells Fargo Center, Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park...
on South Broad Street, Interstate highway-95/Philadelphia Naval Yard and Pattison Avenue/ Packer Park
Packer Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Packer Park is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States that includes 1,200 homes built in two unique builder developments of Packer Park 1950s and Brinton Estates 1990s. It is one of four residential communities that form Philadelphia's Sports...
residential neighborhood. Many Philadelphians enjoy it as a green "Oasis" for a variety of recreational activities, while sport and entertainment event patrons attending games and events at the nearby stadium complex know it as an alternative place for offsite parking.
History
The park was built to the design of Olmsted BrothersOlmsted Brothers
The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States, formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. .-History:...
, the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.
Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. was an American landscape architect best known for his wildlife conservation efforts. He had a lifetime commitment to national parks, and worked on projects in Acadia, the Everglades and Yosemite National Park. Olmsted Point in Yosemite and Olmsted Island at Great Falls...
and John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted , the nephew and adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted, was an American landscape architect. With his brother, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., he founded Olmsted Brothers, a landscape design firm in Brookline, Massachusetts. The firm is famous for designing many urban parks,...
in the early 1900s. The parkland was reclaimed mostly from marshlands of Greenwhich Island one of several islands in the area created by river channels present in the 1700 and 1800's. The use of the park for the Sesquicentennial Exposition
Sesquicentennial Exposition
The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was a world's fair hosted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition-History:The honor of hosting...
in 1926 and subsequent improvements have moderately changed the original design, keeping the main character of the park west of Broad Street. The original plan of the Olmsted Brothers still remains highly visible and significant west of Broad Street. The official name was changed from League Island Park to Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in the late 1940s and a Golf Course was constructed. The Park's boathouse, gazebo and American Swedish Historical Museum
American Swedish Historical Museum
The American Swedish Historical Museum is the oldest Swedish-American museum in the United States. It is located in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on part of a historic 17th-century land grant originally provided by Queen...
are current reminders of the 1926 Exposition.
Environment
FDR Park is located on the Atlantic Coastal PlainAtlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
, a hydrographic province which includes extreme southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The Coastal Plain supports different plants and animals than the adjacent Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
of Pennsylvania. Because of the extreme development of the Coastal Plain in Pennsylvania, many of these distinctive plants and animals are rare in the state.
The ponds and lagoons are remnants of the tidal marsh and channel system which originally occupied the area between the Schuylkill
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
and Delaware
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
rivers. Diking, draining and filling of these marshes probably started with the first settlement of the area by the Swedes in the early 17th century, culminating in the installation of a tide gate designed to permit drainage from the park while minimizing inflow from the Delaware River.
The Pennsylvania Audubon Society has designated the park as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Birds that have natural habitat to watch for in the park are Shovelers, Gadwall
Gadwall
The Gadwall is a common and widespread duck of the family Anatidae.- Description :The Gadwall is 46–56 cm long with a 78–90 cm wingspan. The male is slightly larger than the female, weighing on average 990 g against her 850 g...
, Wigeon
Wigeon
The Eurasian Wigeon, also known as Widgeon or Eurasian Widgeon is one of three species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. It is common and widespread within its range...
, Ring-necks, Bufflehead
Bufflehead
The Bufflehead is a small American sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Anas albeola.-Description:...
, Redhead
Redhead (duck)
The Redhead is a medium-sized diving duck, 37 cm long with an 84 cm wingspan.The adult male has a blue bill, a red head and neck, a black breast, yellow eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a darker bluish bill with a black tip.The breeding habitat is...
, Scaup
Scaup
Scaup may refer to:* Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, a political party in Scotland* One of three species of diving duck:** Greater Scaup or just Scaup, Aythya marila** Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis...
, Ruddy's, Pintail
Northern Pintail
The Pintail or Northern Pintail is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator...
, Pied-billed grebes, Snow Geese, Canada Goose
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
, and herons.
Important Bird Area (IBA)
Audubon Society of Pennsylvania has said that FDR Park is one of the best places in Philadelphia to observe birds. This is due to the fact that it contains a variety of different habitats, including wetlands and waterways. In terms of the category of birds, the park is best known as a place to observe waterfowl. Many different species occur during migration, and in winter they become quite tame at the park allowing one to get much closer looks at them than one would in other locations.In addition to Mallards and Canada Geese the park attracts large numbers of Northern Shovelers, Gadwall, as well as American and Eurasian Wigeon, Redhead, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Ducks, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, American Black Ducks, and other rarer duck species. And there are also Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorants, American Coots and other kinds of non-duck waterfowl. These large charismatic birds are easy to spot even if your a non experienced birder and there is no better place in Philadelphia to view them.
On top of all that many other kinds of birds occur at the park from warblers to raptors making the park one of the finest birding areas around Pennsylvania.
Points of interest
- American Swedish Historical MuseumAmerican Swedish Historical MuseumThe American Swedish Historical Museum is the oldest Swedish-American museum in the United States. It is located in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on part of a historic 17th-century land grant originally provided by Queen...
- Boat House at Meadow Lake
- Gazebo overlooking Meadow Lake (Photo favorite spot for Brides and Grooms)
- Bellaire Manor built 1750 by Samuel PrestonSamuel PrestonSamuel Dylan Murray Preston is a British singer, who was the lead singer of pop band The Ordinary Boys. He appeared in the reality television show Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, in which he finished fourth. After The Ordinary Boys split up, he embarked on a successful song writing career...
Provincial Treasurer and trustee of William PennWilliam PennWilliam Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
's estate
Recreation
- Golf Course
- Tennis Courts
- Soccer Field
- Richie AshburnRichie AshburnDon Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
Baseball Field - Skateboard Skate Park under I-95
- Children Playgrounds with a Children scaled Baseball field
- Lakeside Fishing
- Bird Watching
- Model Boat Regatta Racing @Meadow Lake Boat House
Events
- Music Festival: August 1, 1994 the LollapaloozaLollapaloozaLollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
music festival was held in Philadelphia.
- Baseball: Carpenter's Cup Classic annual playoffs between local High School teams with the final game at Citizens Bank ParkCitizens Bank ParkCitizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...
.
External links
- A Walking Tour of FDR Park
- The Olmsted Brothers' League Island Park
- Fairmount Park -FDR Park history highlight
- Earliest of houses found in park system Bellaire Manor constructed between 1735 and 1750
- American Swedish Museum and Cultural Center
- League Island Historic District registered by Philadelphia Historical Commission
- Retired Judge Reflects on Park History
- Video of Park Friends Board Member at Park with Overview of Park
- FDR Golf Course
- Baseball, Softball and Tennis Facilities
- Model Boat Regatta
See also
- Marconi Plaza, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaMarconi Plaza, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaMarconi Plaza is a neighborhood located in South Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.An Italian-American enclave, Marconi Plaza has two main halves, East and West, which are divided in the middle by Broad Street. It is located at the most southern end of the city and within the northern...
- Sesquicentennial ExpositionSesquicentennial ExpositionThe Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was a world's fair hosted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition-History:The honor of hosting...