In the early part of the nineteenth century, Philadelphia City Council took action to protect the purity of public water. This involved the acquisition of property on the banks of the Schuylkill River in order to eliminate polluting waste that had previously been generated by various industrial sites along the river. The City’s newly acquired property was dedicated to the health and enjoyment of the citizens of Philadelphia, and became known as Fairmount Park. The Fairmount Park Commission (FPC) was established by Act of the Assembly, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 26, 1867, Public Law 547. The practice of acquiring and preserving park land was carried forward over the entire course of the history of the FPC. The FPC operated with a single continuous mission: to preserve and protect its open space; provide opportunities for recreation; maintain the landscapes and structures, streams and woodlands that exist within the Fairmount Park System. By the time the organization was dissolved in 2010, the FPC managed approximately 9200 acres of land. The activities of the FPC were guided by the “Rules for the Government of the Commissioners of Fairmount Park,” originally published May 28, 1867, and occasionally revised over the course of the organization’s history. The most recent revision of the Rules was adopted on May 13, 1970.

The 1867 Act of Assembly defined the FPC as being comprised of six ex-officio members and ten citizens. The designated ex-officio members were the Mayor of Philadelphia; the President of the Select Council; the President of the Common Council; the Commissioner of City Property; the Chief Engineer and Surveyor; and the Chief Engineer of the Waterworks. In 1920 the Select Council was abolished, and thus the ex-officio seat of the President of the Select Council was eliminated. That void was filled in 1951 when the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter added the Commissioner of Recreation ex-officio seat. Other changes were made to the roster of ex-officio seats with the evolution of the City of Philadelphia’s organizational structure. The final incarnation of the six ex-officio members of the FPC was comprised of the Mayor of Philadelphia; the President of City Council; the Public Property Commissioner; the Deputy Streets Commissioner; the Recreation Commissioner; and the Water Department Commissioner.

The responsibility of selecting the ten citizen members of the FPC was split between the District Court and the Court of Common Pleas. In 1874 the District Court was dissolved, and the Board of Judges of the Court of Common Pleas assumed the entire responsibility of appointing the ten citizen members of the FPC. The selection process is not guided by any formal policy.

The activities of the FPC were delineated and overseen by a group of standing committees.

By July of 2010, one hundred forty years after its inception, the FPC was officially dissolved when it became merged with the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, resulting in the creation of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.