Pittsburghers have always been known for their cross-town rivalries, and a spirited competition dating as far back as the late 1800s led to the birth of Riverview Park. Owned by Samuel Watson in the 1700s, the land known as Watson Farm was once used for dairy farming and grazing.
Mary Schenley's donation of Schenley Park to the City of Pittsburgh in 1889 triggered the now-famous cross-town competition. Residents of the former City of Allegheny decided they also wanted a park to call their own and solicited the help of City of Allegheny Mayor and nature lover William M. Kennedy. Under his guidance, the residents pooled their money and bought the Watson property in 1894. They donated it to the City of Allegheny, which became part of Pittsburgh in 1907. In its early years, the park had an amphitheater, merry-go-round and a small zoo with a flying cage, a bear pit, and elk paddock.
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