May 14th, 2020

May 14th is History Day during Love Your Park at Home

lemon hill

Thursday, May 14th is History Day during Love Your Park @ Home! Here are all the things you can learn, share, and do to celebrate history in Philly parks.

5 14 history day lyp at home

LEARN: About 6 Historic Houses in 6 minutes

Join John Sigmund, Fairmount Park Conservancy Historic House Coordinator, and Justina Barrett, Philadelphia Museum of Art Site Manager, in a whirlwind bicycle tour of six historic properties situated in beautiful Fairmount Park. In just one minute per house, learn unique facts about these historic homes!

Watch video

SHARE: Your own historic photos of your Philly park

woodford mansion 1900 2

Woodford Mansion, 1900.

Share your favorite photos of Philadelphia park history! This can be historic photos of your neighborhood park, or a more recent photo of a fun day spent in your favorite secret park spot. #loveyourpark

DO: Enjoy a virtual Park History Happy Hour at 5pm

Grab a beer (or a stein of ye olde meade) and join John John Sigmund, Fairmount Park Historic House Coordinator, and other park historians as they kick back, relax, and spin some of their favorite Philadelphia park tales.

Join the virtual Happy Hour

BONUS: You're invited to a special webinar "Making history: The power of parks during COVID-19"

How will the COVID-19 pandemic shape the future of our urban parks?

On Thursday, May 14 from 12-1pm, join us for a conversation about resilience and the future of civic spaces with three leading park advocates:

Carol Coletta, President and CEO, Memphis River Parks
Maura McCarthy, Executive Director, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Host
Kathryn Ott Lovell, Commissioner, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

Register for free

BONUS: Enjoy these free coloring pages of the Historic Houses of Fairmount Park!

Bring some color to these beautiful black-and-white sketches of the Historic Houses of Fairmount Park! These coloring pages are available to download for free – you can even draw your own Historic House! Share your creations by tagging us on social media at #loveyourpark. 

Download free coloring pages

Upcoming Love Your Park @ Home Events

Belmont Plateau

2025 BPTA Spring Clean Up

April 5th at 9:00am
4100 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19131

Please join us for our annual Spring Clean Up! We'll be joining Park and community groups across the City in participating in the Streets Department's Philly Spring Clean Up event. We'll also have opportunities for trail work and maintenance for volunteers interested in getting the trails ready for the Spring and Summer months. We will stage in the parking lot on Chamounix Drive across from Ridgeland Mansion and will work to clear the parking lots, woods and trails of trash and debris in the area bounded by Belmont Mansion Drive, Belmont Avenue, Edgely Drive and Chamounix Drive. Work gloves, clean up supplies, and light refreshments will be provided. Rain Date is Sunday, April 6th 9:00 AM to 12 Noon

Learn More
fdr park golf course

Garden Maintenance with Friends of FDR Park

April 5th at 10:00am
1900 Pattison Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19145

Meet us at 1954 Pattison Ave, the first building on your right as you enter the park at 20th street. We have multiple shifts.

Learn More
lemon hill spring clean up pic

Philly Spring Cleanup: Lemon Hill Addition

April 5th at 10:00am

It's the Streets Department's annual Spring Cleanup! Our event will focus on roadsides around Lemon Hill- litter and any debris that impedes on sidewalks.

Learn More