One of the first five sites purchased by the Milwaukee Board of Park Commissioners in 1890, River Park – as it was originally called – was described as “a picturesque little tract cuddled down in the valley of the Milwaukee River above the dam, its location such that ample opportunities for boating in the summer and skating in the winter are afforded.” Along with Lake Park and Washington Park, Riverside Park benefited from the skills of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York City’s Central Park and who was hired by the Park Board to provide similar services for Milwaukee. Although Riverside Park was originally divided in two by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks, a culvert beneath the railroad right-of-way provided safe passage from one section of the park to the other for visitors. The park was officially named Riverside Park by the Milwaukee Board of Park Commissioners in 1900. The property was designated for its historic significance.