DelawarePpark

Buffalo, NY 14202

The centerpiece of Buffalo’s Olmsted parks and parkways system is the vast grounds originally known simply as “The Park”. Now called Delaware Park, at 350 acres in size it is one of the relatively few true parks Frederick Law Olmsted created, and the only one in the Buffalo system. To Olmsted, only a very large, naturalistic site which would completely shield the visitor from the bustle and cares of the city could be considered a “park”. (Smaller sites he categorized as “pleasure grounds”.) This park was also the first for which Olmsted was given the opportunity to personally select the site to be used. In keeping with all of Olmsted’s great parks, Delaware Park has three prime elements: a prominent water feature (the “Gala Water”, presently named “Hoyt Lake”) which was originally 42 acres in area and formed by damming Scajaquada Creek, a large meadow of about 120 acres, and significant wooded areas.