[MassHistPres] Historic playgrounds

[Cindy Brockway]

Some of Boston's (and vicinity) playgrounds were installed in the early 20th century as part of a recreation / schoolgrounds campaign aimed at encouraging healthy immigrant populations.  The movement paralleled the development of some Town Improvement Associations, educational programs for women/ mothers on housekeeping, gardening, home canning, etc. and other reform movements.  The Olmsted Brothers firm (and other landscape architects) did designs for a number of small playgrounds in the region.  There are a number of articles in the period literature encouraging the establishment of playgrounds and improved recreational spaces around schoolyards. If your playground space was part of this regional movement, then I think you could make a good case for them as historic sites for CPA funds.  I would see if anyone at DCR has done any thematic studies as part of their larger landscape inventories.

Lucinda Brockway
Past Designs.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Brian Yates 
  To: MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 11:49 AM
  Subject: [MassHistPres] Historic playgrounds


  Has any community been able to obtain CPA funds for a playground or other recreation areas under the Historic Preservation category?  What were the types of history documented and how extensive were the back-ups?  (links to full applications would be great.)  Thanks for your help.


  Alderman Brian Yates
  City of Newton



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