National Register of Historic Places

Fairmount Park

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Listed

February 7, 1972

Type

District

Period

Early Republic

Ref No.

72001151

About this property

Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and the historic name for a group of parks located throughout the city. Fairmount Park consists of two park sections named East Park and West Park, divided by the Schuylkill River, with the two sections together totalling 2,052 acres (830 ha). Management of Fairmount Park and the entire citywide park system is overseen by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, a city department created in 2010 from the merger of the Fairmount Park Commission and the Department of Recreation. Many of the city's other parks had historically also been included in the Fairmount Park system prior to 2010, including Wissahickon Valley Park in Northwest Philadelphia, Pennypack Park in Northeast Philadelphia, Cobbs Creek Park in West Philadelphia, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in South Philadelphia, and 58 additional parks, parkways, plazas, squares, and public golf courses spread throughout the city. Since the 2010 merger, however, the term "Fairmount Park system" is no longer used by the Parks & Recreation department, and the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park and all other park areas are considered completely separate entities.

Location

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

39.99086, -75.21366

Everything a full report reveals about Fairmount Park

This page lists Fairmount Park. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Belmont Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777

1777Revolutionary War

2.8 mi

Battle of Barren Hill

1778Revolutionary War

3.5 mi

Battle of Germantown (approach actions)

1777Revolutionary War

4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fairmount Park listed on the National Register?

Fairmount Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 7, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Fairmount Park?

Fairmount Park is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fairmount Park?

The period of significance for Fairmount Park is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1812.

Can I research the history near Fairmount Park?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fairmount Park will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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