Kittredge Park
Visit
68 Nesmith Street, Lowell, MA 01852
Access
Directions
Parking is available on Chestnut Street or Park Street, which border the park
A Small Part of Paul Tsongas’ Legacy
Kittredge Park is a green oasis at one of Lowell’s busiest intersections, in its Belvidere neighborhood. This city park features a playground and the gazebo is a popular site for wedding photographs.
The early history of Kittredge Park, once known as Washington Square and originally part of Tewksbury, is detailed in Richard Howe’s blog.
John and Thomas Nesmith purchased 150 acres in 1831 for $25,000 and created a subdivision of 120 lots. In the center of the subdivision, they designed a green space which they named Washington Square. In 1834, this section of Tewksbury was annexed to Lowell and the Nesmiths sold the park to the city for $2,100 with the following condition:
“Said premises shall forever be kept open and unbuilt upon, as an open square or common, and that the same shall be kept by said city suitably fenced so that said premises may ever remain for the improvement and ornament of said city, for the comfort and benefit of those residing near the same, and for the health and resort of the citizens generally.”
In the 1920’s, the park was named after Paul E. Kittredge, a Lowell native killed in France during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I.
From its earliest history, this park has been the pride of the neighborhood. In the late 1980s, neighborhood residents, led by U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas, rallied to beautify and restore Kittredge Park.
ROAD WIDENING IMPACT: In 2017 the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has plans to widen Nesmith Street, including the section that abuts Kittredge Park. At the same time, the city has planned improvements to the park itself.
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City of Lowell park improvement project page
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MA DOT road widening project page
