Historic Thompson Park is a jewel perched atop the City of Watertown and offers recreation and green space to both City residents and visitors.
Acres of farmland which would become the Park were given to the City of Watertown as an anonymous Christmas gift in 1916. The identity of the benefactor was revealed as a result of a deed transfer in 1921 to be prominent New York Air Brake businessman John C. Thompson. In papers found after Mr. Thompson’s death, he explained the reason he chose a park donation was to give children a place for amusement and play, allow people a source of pleasure and delight and to give a place to enjoy the foliage and scenery.
Thompson Park features a design by the preeminent landscape architects of the time, Frederic Law Olmsted Jr. and John C. Olmsted. The original design offered strategic entrances and connections to adjacent neighborhoods, the City’s center and the Black River to ensure the Park would be an essential driver of the City’s economy. The Park’s unique stonework seen in the walls, steps, pillars, lookouts and some of the original buildings were created from fieldstone collected and stones gathered from the three quarries throughout the park.
Today’s Park features a golf course, playground, pavilions, band stand, several walking trails, tennis courts, splash pad and swimming pool, as well as plenty of locations for picnicking, exercise, recreation and taking in the spectacular scenic views of the City and surrounding areas. The Park is also the home of Zoo New York.
Click here more information about reserving one of the pavilions, picnic areas or bandstand for a special occasion.
Click here to see the Thompson Park Master Plan.
