Created in 1926 by the Bird family and dedicated to their son, Francis William Bird, the park was designed to refresh weary urban residents with a soothing natural setting. As envisioned by noted landscape architect and town planner John Nolen, the park was a microcosm of natural New England, containing rolling hills, meadows, ponds, and even a naturalistic bathing pool meant to resemble the seashore.

Though the bathing pool was shut down long ago, the park remains an elegant oasis of greenspace in a busy Boston suburb. Mature trees shelter a woodland brook, footbridges, and trails, and still ponds provide a tranquil setting.

"It's an honor to help preserve this public resource for people of all ages to enjoy," says Director of Land Conservation Wes Ward.

The gift of Francis William Bird Park, six acres of nearby athletic fields known as Ellis Field, and an accompanying endowment for the properties' care in perpetuity comes from The Francis William Park Trust, which has maintained them for the public's benefit since 1929. As a Trustees reservation, the park will be open to the public free of charge and will be managed in cooperation with the community and town.

"The prospect of working with The Trustees is exciting,” said Philip Conway, Chairman of the Friends of Francis William Park, a volunteer community group that supports the park. “At a time when open space is often developed, it is wonderful to have a commitment from The Trustees to protect this jewel."

Looking ahead, The Trustees will gather data about the park, its resources, and how visitors use it, and then form a committee of staff and community members to draft a management plan. The draft will be presented to the community for review, and the resulting plan will guide stewardship of the park.