Wilcox Park

Westerly, Rhode Island, United States

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Wilcox Park in Westerly, Rhode Island, is a historic 15-acre arboretum and Victorian-style strolling park originally donated in 1898 by Harriet Wilcox in memory of her husband, Stephen Wilcox, a local industrialist and inventor.

Designed by renowned landscape architect Warren H. Manning between 1898 and 1903 and expanded by Frank Hamilton in 1905, the park features 159 different tree species and 43 unique cultivars, incorporating natural topography including a pond and varied terrain. It serves as a green oasis in downtown Westerly, with walking paths, native trees, formal gardens like a dwarf conifer garden, and monuments including the Wilcox Memorial Fountain.

The park reflects late-nineteenth-century park ideals as a place for respite and seclusion, supported by continuous stewardship from the Memorial and Library Association of Westerly. Wilcox Park also hosts community events such as Summer Pops concerts and Shakespeare performances, blending cultural activities with natural beauty and historical significance.