Emerald Necklace, Historic park system in Boston, United States
The Emerald Necklace is a connected system of nine parks, waterways, and green spaces running through Boston and Brookline. Each section links to the next through paths and waterways, forming a continuous green corridor from Boston Common to Franklin Park.
Frederick Law Olmsted began designing this park system in the late 19th century to turn waterlogged and neglected land into public green spaces. The project also addressed serious drainage issues that had long troubled the low-lying parts of the city.
The Arnold Arboretum is part of this chain and holds a large living collection of trees and shrubs that visitors can walk through freely. On weekends, the paths along the ponds and meadows fill with joggers, families, and dog walkers from nearby neighborhoods.
The park sections are spread across the city, so it helps to pick one area as a starting point rather than trying to cover everything at once. Terrain changes from one section to the next, with flat waterside paths near Jamaica Pond giving way to hillier ground in Franklin Park.
The name comes from the shape the park chain traces on a map, which resembles a necklace draped across the city. Along much of the route, walkers and cyclists can move through the corridor without crossing a single busy road.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
