Nathaniel Lord Britton began the 250-acre park in 1891 and today it is a National Historic Landmark. There are 40 acres of forest that have not been touched since before the area was settled. It is also the site of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, or Crystal Palace. There are more than 3,000 specimens and four distinct environments. The park also has a 12-acre educational Everett Children's Adventure Garden with interactive exhibits, the T.H. Everett Rock Garden, The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, The Native Plant Garden , The Arlow B. Stout Daylily Garden, The Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and Beth's Maze, The Nancy Bryan Luce Herb Garden, and other specialty gardens and collections.