River Park

River Park, now known as Riverside Park, was designed in 1891 by Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot. It is one of Milwaukee’s three Olmsted legacy parks with Washington Park (01652) and Lake Park (01653). Bordering the Milwaukee River, the 24-acre property was uniquely T-shaped. Additionally, the Chicago and North Western Railway ran directly through the park, splitting it into two sections. The Olmsted Firm’s proposed plan included a winding drive north of the ‘South Park Front’ portion, but the road was never completed (see plan 01651-13). Several changes were made to the park in the 1970s and 1990s. Several features of the original plan were never followed and the transformation to the eastern side of the park into an athletic field means much of the original Olmsted design has been lost.