The Passaic River town separated from Bloomfield Township in 1839. It was here, in 1794, that Nicholas Roosevelt built the first steam engine produced entirely in America. Also adjacent to the park is Hendricks Field Golf Course, extending the green landscape further northward. The park was designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm and even today retains some of the original landscaping in its sweeping lawns and winding paths.
Coniferous trees divide the park into sections and isolate it from the city streets.
Its semi-formal character is derived from plantings of native, rare, and ornamental trees and shrubs. Open fields provide feeding habitats for small mammals and migratory birds. In 1917, to aid in the war effort, these fields were planted with corn. The park represents an early example of urban rehabilitation, as there are a number of former industrial sites within its boundaries. A shallow depression by the south side of the park represents all that is left of an old rock quarry.