Philadelphia really deserves to be called the parkland. The number of parks is unbelievable there. It seems it is impossible to have so many recreation spots in one area. Still, experience proves that it is quite real. Learn more at philadelphia.name.
Wissahickon Valley Park is a large recreational area in Philly. Formerly, this territory was part of the famous Fairmount Park for a very long time. However, later Wissahickon began to detach, and in the end, became a completely independent park.
It is rightly considered a place where you can cut yourself off from the rest of the world and relax. Even automobile traffic is banned there, so when you are in the park, the singing of birds will be the only sound you will hear. Therefore, you can forget about the usual bustling of the metropolis.
The amazing nature of this place inspired many famous personalities in the past. This is not surprising, as once you get to the park, you feel magically refreshed. Probably, it must be the mesmerizing beauty of nature that has such an effect. That is why after resting here, renewed energy for further achievements is guaranteed.
From this article, you will learn more information about the history and highlights of this wonderful place.
A picturesque place
There is a wood next to the park surrounded by the Wissahickon Creek. This waterbody is a real decoration of a picturesque wooded gorge called the Wissahickon Valley. It is declared a National Natural Landmark. This valley has a status of a park and is one of the recreational areas in Philadelphia.
Park walkways
There is a gravel road that runs through the territory of the park. It is prohibited for cars. Instead, this place is very comfortable for walking, cycling, running and horse riding. But this road is not the only one of its kind.
In total, Wissahickon Park contains eighty kilometers of trails. So if you want to fully enjoy nature, you can take different paths and go deep into the wilderness of the park.
Separation
It is interesting that from 1867 this area was considered part of Fairmount Park. After some time, Wissahickon Valley Park became an independent recreation area. Moreover, it is considered the second largest Philadelphia park after Fairmount.
A place that inspires
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the grounds of the valley were used for logging and industrialization. However, the gorge itself was quite popular thanks to its natural environment. Such creative individuals as Edgar Poe, George Lippard, Thomas Moran and James Peale were inspired by this place.
The protest day
It is worth noting that the mentioned gravel road is widely called the Wissahickon Turnpike. In fact, it is a wide rocky path in the upper part of the park. There were also attempts to violate the stringent prohibition on driving on the territory.
So, in 1920, the Park Commission decided to allow cars to enter the park. However, thousands of local residents intervened in this case then. They raised a mass protest. As a result, the initiative to cancel the car ban was postponed, and people could retain their favorite vacation spots.
Moreover, since then, an annual parade dedicated to this protest has been held in the park. This is also another fact of this recreational area.