Byrd Park

Byrd Park
William Byrd Park, New Reservoir Park
Boats on Fountain Lake
TypePublic Park
LocationRichmond, Virginia
Area268.7 acres (108.7 ha)
Created1875 (1875)-1888 (1888)
Operated byCity of Richmond
OpenYear-Round

Byrd Park, also known as William Byrd Park, is a public park located in Richmond, Virginia, United States, north of the James River and adjacent to Maymont. The 287-acre (1.16 km2) park includes a mile-long trail with exercise stops, monuments, an amphitheatre, and three small lakes: Shields (sometimes spelled Sheilds), Swan, and Boat Lake. Boat Lake (also called Fountain Lake) has a lighted fountain at its center. Visitors can rent pedal boats there in season. The park includes tennis courts, Little League baseball fields, and a children's playground. The historic round house and Poplar Vale Cemetery are also located in the park. It is named after William Byrd II, whose family owned much of the area when Richmond was founded in 1737. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.