About Rochester Parks System

Rochester is one of only four cities with a park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, joining Buffalo, Boston and Louisville. With firm and family collaborating together, Olmsted, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and John Charles Olmsted were involved in the planning and design process. 

Commissioned in 1888 by the Board of Park Commissioners to design the first park for the city, Olmsted recommended the addition of lands along the Genesee River. This suggestion resulted in the creation of a comprehensive system of three major parks – Highland Park, Genesee Valley Park and Seneca Park. Collectively, these parks, which range from 20 to 800 acres, capture some of the region’s major distinctive landscape characteristics and scenery. When selecting land for the parks, Olmsted chose large open spaces on the then perimeter of the city, correctly forecasting that Rochester would experience sprawl and growth. 

Olmsted’s design showcased the natural beauty of each park, creating three unique landscapes. Highland Park was developed as a shrub arboretum with a world-class collection of lilacs and panoramic views; Genesee Valley Park was designed as a broad, rolling, pastoral landscape along the Genesee River plain; and Seneca Park highlights the native forest located on both sides of the dramatic Genesee River gorge. 

While Olmsted’s design ended here, his influence continued in the early 1900s with the addition of four major parks, two small parks, two street malls and dozens of playgrounds designed by Olmsted Brothers. 

In 1911, Olmsted Jr. recommended additional neighborhood parks, reservations, parkways and a system of outlying parks. The firm continued to consult on the system’s development until 1915. 

In 2003, the park system was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, Rochester’s parks honor their Olmsted legacy by continuing to offer active and passive forms of recreation, from organized sports and playgrounds to scenic overlooks and trails.