Washington Park on the west side of Springfield is a 150-acre site added to the park district in 1901. This is one of the historic parks, developed as termini of the urban trolley line in use at the time. Designed by Ossian Simonds, noted for his naturalistic style of landscape design, the park is on the National Register of Historic Places. Its design and many features date back to its original development. This park is bounded by South Grand Avenue and the Illini Country Club on the south, Chatham Road on the west, Fayette Avenue and Pasfield Golf Course on the north and Orendorff Parkway on the east. An elegant entrance to the park from the east is formed by Williams Boulevard that extends from Walnut Street to the park's east side. Surrounding the park are established residential neighborhoods of well-maintained older homes on large lots. 

Washington Park contains a variety of facilities, many of them unique to the park system and some unique to the region. It is one of the most heavily used parks in the district. The park has rolling terrain, large trees and wooded areas, some deep ravines and two man-made lagoons.