Elm Park
Why it's listed
Elm Park is a public park in Worcester, Massachusetts, with two parts: the original park bounded by Elm, Russell, Highland and Park streets, deeded to the city in 1854 by Levi Lincoln and John Hammond, and the 1888 addition of Newton Hill. About 20 acres of the hill were later used for a high school and about 8 acres for street widening. The park was developed in 1874 under Edward Winslow Lincoln, the city's Commissioner of Shade Trees and later of Parks, who gave it ponds, walks and a mix of native and foreign trees and shrubs. A plaque claims it was the first public park in America, though Central Park in New York and other places dispute this. The listing rests on its standing as a state first and a local model of park design. From the original 28 acres grew a park system of over 1000 acres, and park records direct that Lincoln's plan be preserved.
Significance in brief: The nomination notes that Elm Park is claimed to be the first public park in America, a claim contested by Central Park in New York and others. It argues the park is also significant as a state-level first and as a local landmark in park development. Edward Winslow Lincoln made it a model with ponds, walks and mixed native and foreign plantings, and it grew into a park system of over 1000 acres.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 70000096, listed July 1, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Elm Park, Worcester |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | July 1, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000096 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Edward Winslow Lincoln (Commissioner of Shade Trees, later Parks) |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, unaltered, on its original site, occupied and in use as a park; owned by the City of Worcester. |
| Acreage | 60 |
| Coordinates | 42.26758, -71.81969 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 70000096.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5366301
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.