|The story of Boston’s park system begins at the Boston Common – the oldest park in the country. This 50 acre pastoral expanse was originally used for grazing cattle, and was converted to park space in the early 1800s. Abutting the Common is the Public Garden – America’s first public botanical park. Completed in 1860, it was Boston’s answer to Central Park. Intended to encourage leisurely strolls while taking in the exotic plant-life, the Garden serves as the gateway to a vast network of green spaces throughout the city.