The Development of Park Systems in American Cities 23 



to be continued by the Boston Park Commission along the south 

 side of the river to the Charlesbank Playground. 



Embraced within the system are the three river valleys of the 

 Charles, Mystic and Neponset Rivers, an encouraging example of 

 the increasing appreciation of water fronts. The Middlesex Fells 

 and the Blue Hills Reservation include the highest land facing 

 Massachusetts Bay. The latter is the largest city park in 

 America, covering 4,857 acres. These various reservations are 

 largely connected with each other, but some links are yet to be 

 forged. One instance of a complete link may be described to indi- 

 cate what is meant by a park system. The Commons are connected 

 by the Public Gardens with Commonwealth avenue, which leads 

 westwardly to the Back Bay Fens, and the latter southwestwardly 

 and southerly to Olmsted Park and Franklin Park, which is con- 

 nected by Columbia road, running northeastwardly, with the 

 Strandway. The latter in turn leads along the shore to Marine 

 Park, which is linked by a parkway, running eastwardly, with 

 Fort Independence, which lies well out in the bay. This is 

 the park. zone lying nearest Boston on the south. A number of 

 the parks named are connected by parkways with other not 

 named. 



It has been noted that the movement for small parks that 

 began in the eighties was for open spaces sometimes called 

 "squares," sometimes "parks," never "playgrounds." The nineties 

 added the latter, and they are gradually assuming a position of 

 more importance than the old-fashioned type of public square. This 

 is because they are more used. Boston has the honor of being the 

 pioneer in this movement, which has been exactly contemporaneous 

 with that for the outer park system, a conspicuous proof that the 

 need of small open spaces is not overshadowed by the more mag- 

 nificent idea of a great co-ordinated system of outlying country 

 parks. These playgrounds are out-door gymnasia. They are well 

 supplied with apparatus of all kinds and are furnished with running 

 tracks. Gymnasium instructors are placed in charge. Whosoever 

 will may go. Boston has seventeen such playgrounds, officially 

 classified as such in the report of the Park Department. The last 

 report notes that other sites are being investigated. The general 

 idea of the system of playgrounds of Boston is that playgrounds 

 for the smaller children shall be located within a half mile of every 



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