GENERAL MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY PARK PLANNING 



103 



interest that county governments had in parks, and this interest was purely 

 an incidental one. 



In 1895 Essex County, New Jersey, undertook the pioneering effort of 

 establishing a county park system. The idea was not of rural origin but 

 came out of the metropolitan park needs of cities and was no doubt inspired 

 in part by the example of the Boston Metropolitan Park District established 

 a few years previous. 



The plan, while eminently successful in Essex County, was slow in 

 being adopted elsewhere. Eight years later (1903) Hudson County, New 

 Jersey, adjoining Essex County, adopted the plan. Twelve years (1915) 

 after Hudson County established a park system, Cook County, Illinois, 

 established a system of county forest preserves. The same year DuPage 

 County, Illinois, adjoining Cook County, took similar action. 



Since 1920 a number of county park systems have been established in 

 the Middle Atlantic, Southern, Middle Western, Southwestern, Rocky Moun- 

 tain and the Pacific Coast States. While the idea has spread to nearly all 



PUBLIC PABK5 AND 

 ACBEAGE PEG 1000 POPULATION 



OF THE 



TO-STATE DISTRICT 



PLAYGROUNDS 

 IN INCOBPOEATCO PLACES 



Figures are exclusive of school ground acreage 



81 Incorporated places in the region 

 have no public parks or playgrounds. 



Accepted minimum national standard 



5 Acres per 000 population 



REGIONAL PLANNMG FEDGCAnON OT THE PHttADOPHA TO-SHOT OBTBCT 



NCVttCR 1926 



PLATE No. 29 



THIS DIAGRAM SHOWS THE ACTUAL SITUATION WITH RESPECT TO PROVISIONS FOR 

 PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS IN THE PHILADELPHIA METROPOLITAN AREA, 1926. 



(Diagram reproduced by courtesy of the Regional Planning Federation of the Philadelphia Tri-State District.) 



