Fairmount (East/West) Park

The Fairmount Park system has a long history which can be traced back to the early 1800’s, but it was not until 1855 that a section of land known as Lemon Hill Estates was purchased by the city, renamed Fairmount Park and dedicated as a public park.  During the period of rapid industrial expansion, the city realized the need for land to be set aside specifically for recreational purposes and as a way to ensure the environmental quality of the surrounding water supply.  

Presently, the park system has expanded to over 8,900 acres and is utilized by residents in every section of the city.  Fairmount (East/West) Park is considered the area east and west of the Schuylkill River and stretches from the mouth of the Wissahickon Creek south to Center City.  This portion of the park system is known for it’s historically significant houses and structures, as well as it’s beautifully landscaped gardens and public areas.  East Park is home to the Dell East, Boathouse Row, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and many historic mansion.  West Park was the site of the 1876 Centennial Exposition.  Many of the existing landscaped features and structures such as Centennial Lake, Memorial Hall and Ohio House were designed specifically for the celebration.  East/West Park also hosts an array of special events yearly and supports a variety of recreational activities.  There is cycling, walking and rollerblading along paved paths, hiking and horseback riding on the dirt trails, ball fields, recreational facilities and areas for picnicking.

East/West Park, while largely landscaped, also contains expansive tracts of beautiful natural lands that support a diverse population of plants and animals.  Similar to other areas of the Fairmount Park system, the natural areas of East/West Park suffer from a variety of environmental stresses like erosion, invasive/exotic plants and animals, as well as storm water runoff and litter.  These stresses degrade the stability and quality of these important natural lands.  Restoration efforts in the natural areas have begun and significant advances have been made with the help of many volunteers.  The work of volunteers has been vital to maintain the environmental quality of areas like Centennial and Concourse lakes, which support a large diversity of species.  Various school groups, community organizations and interested individuals have been volunteering to work with park staff on restoration projects like removing invasive/exotic species, planting native trees and shrubs and correcting erosion problems.  This is part of an ongoing effort to restore and maintain the park's natural lands as healthy and vital ecosystems.