Cedar Brook Park

Cedar Brook Park is a historic urban park spanning roughly 78 acres of landscaped grounds with walking paths, gardens, and a lake formed along Cedar Brook. The grounds are bound by Steel Avenue, Arlington Avenue, Park Avenue, Rose Street, Laramie Road, Kenyon Avenue, and Parkside Road.

The Olmsted Brothers designed this park between 1924 and 1930 as part of the Union County Park System development plan. This period marked an important time when the region was building a network of public green spaces that shaped the area's landscape.

The Shakespeare Garden within the park holds plants mentioned in William Shakespeare's works and is maintained by the Plainfield Garden Club. Visitors walking through this section can discover how the plantings connect to specific plays and sonnets through the garden's labeling system.

The park is accessible from multiple entry points along the surrounding streets, making it easy to start your visit from different neighborhoods. Wear sturdy shoes as pathways can become slippery after rain, especially near the lake and garden areas.

This park represents the third design by the Olmsted Brothers within the Union County Park System, which contains a total of 26 parks created by this renowned landscape firm. Visitors exploring multiple sites across the county can trace the evolution of early 20th century park design through these interconnected green spaces.

Location: South Plainfield

Location: Plainfield

Architects: Olmsted Brothers

GPS coordinates: 40.60139,-74.40694

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:07