Thompson Park

Thompson Park
Thompson Park sits on Pinnacle Hill on the eastern edge of Watertown. The land on Pinnacle Hill was bought by John C. Thompson, president of the New York Air Brake Company. The Olmstead Brothers, landscape architects famous for their design of Central Park in New York City, were commissioned by Thompson to design the park. Thompson then donated the park anonymously to the City of Watertown in 1903. Originally known as City Park, the city renamed it Thompson Park after Thompson's death, when his donation to the city became public.

Daniel Corbett; a machinist, boilermaker, and prominent member of the local Democratic Party; constructed the massive standpipe which stood in Thompson Park for many years. It was a city landmark until it was replaced in the early 1970's.

Thompson Park boasts hundreds of acres of space, which includes a children's playground, public swimming pool, a golf course and tennis courts. There are also picnic areas, a large pavilion for gatherings, a zoo, numerous hiking trails (see link below) and paved trails and much wide open space. There are also many lookout points at the park, where people can get a bird's eye view of the city below.