Eakins Oval is a traffic circle in Philadelphia . It forms the northwest end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway just in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art , with a central array of fountains and monuments, and a network of pedestrian walkways.
35-671: This loop of road usually carries a large volume of traffic, as it connects the core of the city with Fairmount Park , Kelly Drive (formerly East River Drive), and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive (formerly West River Drive). During parades and other major municipal events such as the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and large concerts such as Live 8 Philadelphia and the Budweiser Made in America Festival ,
70-624: A servant's cottage constructed of stone which still exists. The cottage was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe and is presently known as the Sedgeley Porter's House. Fairmount Park Commission Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia 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
105-611: 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. Fairmount Park, Philadelphia 's first park, occupies 2,052 acres (830 ha) adjacent to the banks of the Schuylkill River . Since 2010, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation divides the original park into East and West Fairmount parks. The original domain of Fairmount Park consisted of three areas: South Park or
140-493: 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. Fairmount Park, Philadelphia 's first park, occupies 2,052 acres (830 ha) adjacent to the banks of the Schuylkill River . Since 2010, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation divides the original park into East and West Fairmount parks. The original domain of Fairmount Park consisted of three areas: South Park or
175-498: Is owned by successor CSX and carries freight trains on a single track. The upper tunnel carried streetcars on the Spring Garden Street line ( Route 43 ) of Philadelphia Rapid Transit (PRT) and successor Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) until 1956. This double-track tunnel was then completely rebuilt in 1960 to carry two lanes of one-way (westbound only) traffic on Spring Garden from Pennsylvania Avenue to
210-774: The American Civil War , work progressed on acquiring and laying out West Park. In the 1870s, the Fairmount Park Commission expropriated properties along the Wissahickon Creek to extend Fairmount Park. The Schuylkill River Trail is a modern paved multi-use trail by Kelly Drive in the East Park. The Belmont Plateau Cross Country Course is located in Fairmount Park. The 1923 and 1976 USA Cross Country Championships were held in
245-439: The American Civil War , work progressed on acquiring and laying out West Park. In the 1870s, the Fairmount Park Commission expropriated properties along the Wissahickon Creek to extend Fairmount Park. The Schuylkill River Trail is a modern paved multi-use trail by Kelly Drive in the East Park. The Belmont Plateau Cross Country Course is located in Fairmount Park. The 1923 and 1976 USA Cross Country Championships were held in
280-645: The Centennial Arboretum , a Horticulture Center , Fairmount Water Works , Memorial Hall (home of the Please Touch Museum ), Shofuso Japanese House and Garden , Boathouse Row , Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse , recreation centers, reservoirs, statues and other pieces of art. Fairmount Park is home to a large collection of public art, largely attributable to efforts of the Association for Public Art , known previously as
315-445: The Centennial Arboretum , a Horticulture Center , Fairmount Water Works , Memorial Hall (home of the Please Touch Museum ), Shofuso Japanese House and Garden , Boathouse Row , Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse , recreation centers, reservoirs, statues and other pieces of art. Fairmount Park is home to a large collection of public art, largely attributable to efforts of the Association for Public Art , known previously as
350-639: The Philadelphia Museum of Art on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway . Mount Pleasant , built in 1762–65 for a Scottish ship captain named John Macpherson, is administered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art . The Art Museum also administers Cedar Grove Mansion , a house built in 1748–50 in what later became the Frankford neighborhood of the city. Cedar Grove was relocated to the park in 1926–1928. Other historic houses in
385-435: The Philadelphia Museum of Art on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway . Mount Pleasant , built in 1762–65 for a Scottish ship captain named John Macpherson, is administered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art . The Art Museum also administers Cedar Grove Mansion , a house built in 1748–50 in what later became the Frankford neighborhood of the city. Cedar Grove was relocated to the park in 1926–1928. Other historic houses in
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#1732776481634420-541: 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
455-404: 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
490-683: The Fairmount Park Art Association, a non-profit organization founded in 1872 to embellish Fairmount Park with outdoor sculpture, including the Medici lions known as the Florentine Lions installed in 1887. The Art Association continues to commission and care for a large number of sculptures, in coordination with the park and city. In 2007, the Art Association installed Iroquois by Mark di Suvero near
525-415: The Fairmount Park Art Association, a non-profit organization founded in 1872 to embellish Fairmount Park with outdoor sculpture, including the Medici lions known as the Florentine Lions installed in 1887. The Art Association continues to commission and care for a large number of sculptures, in coordination with the park and city. In 2007, the Art Association installed Iroquois by Mark di Suvero near
560-779: 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"
595-423: 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"
630-831: The South Garden immediately below the Fairmount Water Works extending to the Callowhill Street Bridge; Old Park, which encompassed the former estates of Lemon Hill and Sedgeley ; and West Park, the area including the Philadelphia Zoo , and the Centennial Exposition grounds. The South Garden predated the establishment of the Park Commission in 1867, while Lemon Hill and Sedgeley were added in 1855–56. After
665-418: The South Garden immediately below the Fairmount Water Works extending to the Callowhill Street Bridge; Old Park, which encompassed the former estates of Lemon Hill and Sedgeley ; and West Park, the area including the Philadelphia Zoo , and the Centennial Exposition grounds. The South Garden predated the establishment of the Park Commission in 1867, while Lemon Hill and Sedgeley were added in 1855–56. After
700-676: The Spring Garden Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River ; currently only one lane is in use. This tunnel crosses above the CSX tunnel in the middle. Today's Route 43 buses, operated by SEPTA , circle the Oval and do not use the tunnel. Fairmount Park Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia 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
735-614: The United States. The Washington Monument fountain is flanked by two smaller fountains, honoring Eli Kirk Price and John Ericsson . Beneath Eakins Oval and the surrounding area run two tunnels, originally for rail traffic, and constructed in the 1920s at the same time as the Oval, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway , and the Philadelphia Art Museum . The lower tunnel, built for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ,
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#1732776481634770-460: The city held a design competition to re-landscape Lemon Hill and Sedgeley for public use as the best way to better protect the city's water supply. (Ironically the land the Sedgeley mansion was built on had originally been owned by Robert Morris although after his bankruptcy it had been sold to a different purchaser then Henry Pratt). The park was the site of the 1876 Centennial Exposition and
805-405: The city held a design competition to re-landscape Lemon Hill and Sedgeley for public use as the best way to better protect the city's water supply. (Ironically the land the Sedgeley mansion was built on had originally been owned by Robert Morris although after his bankruptcy it had been sold to a different purchaser then Henry Pratt). The park was the site of the 1876 Centennial Exposition and
840-736: The first zoo in the United States, the Philadelphia Zoo , and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Wissahickon Valley Park, located adjacent to the park's immediate northwest, was included in the Fairmount Park NRHP registration document. The outdoor scenes of the 2000 period art-horror film A Chronicle of Corpses were shot in Carpenter's Woods in the Wissahickon Valley Park part of Fairmount Park. Park properties include
875-465: The first zoo in the United States, the Philadelphia Zoo , and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Wissahickon Valley Park, located adjacent to the park's immediate northwest, was included in the Fairmount Park NRHP registration document. The outdoor scenes of the 2000 period art-horror film A Chronicle of Corpses were shot in Carpenter's Woods in the Wissahickon Valley Park part of Fairmount Park. Park properties include
910-683: The oval serves as a parking lot ; it was originally part of the Parkway until traffic modifications isolated it in the 1960s. Just inside the northwest edge of Eakins Oval, in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art stairs, stands the Washington Monument fountain. It was commissioned and designed by sculptor Rudolf Siemering . The sculpture was dedicated in 1897 at the Green Street entrance to Fairmount Park . It
945-436: The park, listed by year of construction, include Boelson Cottage (1678–84), The Lilacs (c. 1711), Letitia Street House (c. 1713), Ridgeland Mansion (1719), Belmont Mansion (1745), The Cliffs (1753; ruins since a fire in 1986), Woodford Mansion (1756), Hatfield House (1760), Randolph House (c. 1767; renamed Laurel Hill Mansion in 1976), Strawberry Mansion (c. 1783–89), The Solitude (1784–85; located within
980-436: The park, listed by year of construction, include Boelson Cottage (1678–84), The Lilacs (c. 1711), Letitia Street House (c. 1713), Ridgeland Mansion (1719), Belmont Mansion (1745), The Cliffs (1753; ruins since a fire in 1986), Woodford Mansion (1756), Hatfield House (1760), Randolph House (c. 1767; renamed Laurel Hill Mansion in 1976), Strawberry Mansion (c. 1783–89), The Solitude (1784–85; located within
1015-527: The park. The park grew out of the Lemon Hill estate of Henry Pratt , whose land was originally owned by Robert Morris , signer of the Declaration of Independence . Purchased by the city in 1844, the estate was dedicated to the public by city council's ordinance on September 15, 1855. A series of state and local legislative acts over the next three years increased the holdings of the city. In 1858,
1050-410: The park. The park grew out of the Lemon Hill estate of Henry Pratt , whose land was originally owned by Robert Morris , signer of the Declaration of Independence . Purchased by the city in 1844, the estate was dedicated to the public by city council's ordinance on September 15, 1855. A series of state and local legislative acts over the next three years increased the holdings of the city. In 1858,
1085-508: The roadways are shut down to automobile traffic and the oval becomes center stage for the gathering. Eakins Oval was the site of the stage for the 2017 NFL draft . The oval was part of urban planner Jacques Gréber 's design for the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which he proposed in 1917. The oval is named for Thomas Eakins , a Philadelphian, world-famous realist painter, and fine arts educator. The southeastern part of
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1120-488: The zoo), Sweetbriar Mansion (1797), Ormiston Mansion (1798), Lemon Hill Mansion (1800), Chamounix Mansion (1802), Rockland Mansion (c. 1810), and the Ohio House which was built for the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Sedgeley Mansion was built in 1799 on Lemon Hill, then abandoned and later demolished after being acquired through eminent domain by the city in 1857. The Sedgeley property also included
1155-430: The zoo), Sweetbriar Mansion (1797), Ormiston Mansion (1798), Lemon Hill Mansion (1800), Chamounix Mansion (1802), Rockland Mansion (c. 1810), and the Ohio House which was built for the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Sedgeley Mansion was built in 1799 on Lemon Hill, then abandoned and later demolished after being acquired through eminent domain by the city in 1857. The Sedgeley property also included
1190-455: Was dedicated. The bronze and granite sculpture features a uniformed George Washington mounted on a horse. Washington and his horse are poised on top of the fountain, facing southeast down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway towards Philadelphia City Hall . The face of the sculpture was made from an impression of the former president made while he was still alive. The lowest level of the monument features Native Americans and animals that are native to
1225-539: Was moved in 1928 to its present location after construction of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway was completed. In 1997, work to restore the statue began under the direction of Margo Berg of the Philadelphia Art Commission. Over the years, the sculpture had come loose from its base, and the fountain had ceased to function properly. The restoration was completed in June of the same year, 100 years after it
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