Park History In the late 1700s, this 105-acre parcel was part of William Byrd III's vast holdings along the James River.  In 1836 Holden Rhodes (1799-1857), noted jurist and first president of Richmond and Petersburg Railroad, purchased land here for his estate, Boscobel.  His stone dwelling was built of granite quarried on site.  In 1880, Richmond & Manchester Railway established a trolley terminus and amusement part here, with a penny arcade in the Stone House basement.  These improvements spurred the development of Woodland Heights and Forest Hill, two early Richmond "trolley car suburbs."  The amusements were demolished in 1932, and in 1934 the City of Richmond purchased the land.  Funds from the federal Emergency Relief Act paid for Stone House improvements, cobblestone walkways, and picnic shelters.  Azaleas planted here in the 1950s became root stock for Bryan Park's extensive Azalea Gardens.  Today, the park's natural areas, wetlands, wildlife habitats, and manicured landscapes provide open-space amenities in an urban setting.