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Overlook Ruins
park

Franklin Park

address

42.308116, -71.096947

Neighborhood

Roxbury

Hours

Dawn to dusk

Accessibility

The Overlook Ruins are accessed from paths within Franklin Park. Historic stonework, steps, and uneven surfaces may make portions of the site difficult to navigate for visitors with mobility limitations.

View From Above

About

These picturesque ruins are what remains of a field house for Franklin Park’s athletic fields, housing changing rooms and a viewing area for sporting events below. One of only a handful of buildings designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the field house maintained a rustic feel, low to the ground and hidden by plantings. Like many structures in Olmsted's parks, it was designed to defer to the landscape that surrounded it. It was built from wood and Roxbury puddingstone, a conglomerate rock abundant throughout the park and local to Boston.

Today, one can make out the original stone steps, an archway, water fountains, benches and other architectural features. The ruins remain a two-story structure: a path around the top of them still offers the original “Overlook” view down onto the Playstead sports area.

A fire in the 1940s wiped out most of the building. In 1966, Boston activist Elma Lewis revived the ruins as a concert venue with the popular Playhouse in the Park, hosting musical acts like the Billy Taylor Trio and Duke Ellington. "Playhouse in the Park” continues in Franklin Park today, but the puddingstone ruins mostly go unused.

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A New Perspective

Taking the Higher Ground

Picturing the Past

did you know?

During the Elma Lewis Playhouse era, the Overlook Ruins hosted more than performances. Large rallies were also held here during the Civil Rights Movement, turning the space into a place for both cultural expression and civic organizing.

  • Overlook Ruins arch.

    Credits:

    Evan Bradley

  • Overlook Ruins arch.

    Credits:

    Evan Bradley

  • Overlook Ruins arch.

    Credits:

    Evan Bradley

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

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Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partner & Volunteer

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Publications

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Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Subscribe for Necklace news, community events, and to enliven the parks.

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Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partner + Volunteer

Careers

Publications

Contact Us

Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Subscribe for Necklace news, community events, and to enliven the parks.

Get Necklace News

Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partners + Volunteers

Career

Publications

Contact Us