The Park Dispatch

The Palisades Interstate Park, The New Jersey Edition

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:59:49 GMT

Public Historian Francesca Costa of the Palisades Interstate Park talks about the history of the park in New Jersey.

For More information on the park, visit: https://njpalisades.org

Palisades Interstate Park Conservancy: https://www.palisadesparks.org/palisades-interstate-park

Greenbrook Sanctuary: https://www.greenbrooksanctuary.org

Prospect Park 500 acres in the heart of Brooklyn, NY

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Eight million visitors can't be wrong. Designed and constructed over thirty years (1865-1895) by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the masterminds behind Central Park, Prospect Park has blossomed into a premier destination for Brooklyn visitors and residents alike.

Prospect Park Alliance: https://www.prospectpark.org/

Prospect Park Home page: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/prospect-park

New Yorkers For Parks: https://ny4p.org/

Downing Park, dedicated to Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Voux's mentor, Andrew Jackson Downing

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 12:03:00 GMT

Downing Park is the largest of several public parks in the city of Newburgh, New York, United States. The park was designed in the late 19th century by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who gave the design to the city on the condition it would be named after their mentor, Andrew Jackson Downing, a Newburgh native who advocated for the Creation of New York's Central Park and who had died in a steamboat accident on the Hudson River in 1852.

Alison Filosa of the Downing Park is our guest today and she is the President of the Board of Directors for the Downing Park Conservancy

Downing Park Conservancy: https://www.downingparknewburgh.org/

South Mountain Reservation, a Jersey tradition

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:19:18 GMT

Dennis Percher, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the South Mountain Conservancy. South Mountain Reservation is a 2000+ acre reservation administered by the Essex County Parks Department, Essex County, New Jersey and is considered the first county park agency in the United States. For More information on

South Mountain Conservancy - https://www.somocon.org/

South Mountain Reservation, Essex County Parks - https://essexcountyparks.org/parks/south-mountain-reservation

Turtle Back Zoo - https://www.turtlebackzoo.com/

A visit to Buffalo's Olmsted Parks

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Frederick Law Olmsted is America’s first and greatest landscape architect. He once said, “A park is a work of art, designed to produce certain effects upon the minds of men.” His system of parks and parkways in Buffalo is the first of its kind in the nation and represents one of his largest bodies of work. Catie Stephenson, Executive Director of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, is our guest to discuss the Buffalo Olmsted Parks in Buffalo, NY. Additional information can be found at:

Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy - https://www.bfloparks.org/

Explore Buffalo - https://explorebuffalo.org/

Empire State Trail - https://empiretrail.ny.gov/

Discovering Bushnell Park: America's Oldest Public Park

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:35:33 GMT

Bushnell Park, located in Hartford, Connecticut, is the nation's oldest publicly created and funded park. It highlights Connecticut's intriguing historical narrative, particularly Hartford's quest to become the sole capital of the state. The visionary Reverend Horace Bushnell played a pivotal role in its creation, advocating for a communal space accessible to all. Unlike Central Park, Bushnell Park was funded entirely by taxpayers, underscoring its public purpose. The park's design lineage stretches from Andrew Jackson Downing to Jacob Weidenmann, the latter overcoming Frederick Law Olmsted's absence to bring the park to life amidst Hartford's rich political and cultural metamorphosis. Bushnell Park Conservancy https://bushnellpark.org