F. T. Proctor Park: Overview
Frederick Townsend Proctor, Thomas R. Proctor’s half-brother
At 62 acres, Frederick T. Proctor Park (built 1911-14) is the smaller of the two parks in Utica designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., but it has historically been considered the ” jewel” of the city’s Olmsted parks and parkway system. It is named for Thomas R. Proctor’s younger half-brother, Frederick Townsend Proctor.
It is located four blocks away from Thomas R. Proctor Park; the two parks are connected by a narrow strip of public land, leading some to conclude that there is only one Proctor Park.
Like the other parks in this system, it contains both Olmsted-era features and features built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal agency that put idled laborers to work during the Great Depression.
Activities
You can pursue these activities at this park:
- all seasons: hike, jog, dog walking. Please note that only the park’s main “upper loop” is plowed during winter.
- spring, summer, and fall: walk, bike, tossing a Frisbee (organized sports are not allowed in this park but are in nearby Thomas R. Proctor Park).
- winter: cross-country skiing, snowshoeing. Please note that the area suitable for cross-country skiing is largely limited to the park’s great meadow in the upper loop, except after a heavy snowfall.
Walking distances within the park: the upper loop is 0.7 of a mile, and the upper/lower combined distance is 1 mile).
Hours and Parking
F.T. Proctor Park is free and to the public from dawn to dusk, 365 days annually. Its parking lot is located at the rear of the park, immediately off the easternmost end of Rutger Street.