Originally Washington Park included many buildings: several shelters of untrimmed logs, a pavilion, wellhouse, croquet shelter, and lakehouse once dotted the landscape.
The wooden lake house was replaced in 1929 with a "modern" brick structure while the others over time succumbed to age and changing use-patterns for the park and no longer stand.
The footbridge over Washington Park Lake is the only remaining original structure in Washington Park; erected over the lake in 1875 the lamps on the bridge were originally gas burning but were electrified in 1881.

The current Washington Park Lake House was built in 1929 replacing the original stick style structure constructed in 1876.
It is constructed in the Spanish Revival style with terracotta, terrazzo, brick, and guastavino tile.
The area in front of the lake house has been the site for the performance of plays by the Park Playhouse for over 20 years.
A 900-seat amphitheater faces the lake house allowing for comfortable seating for the over 60,000 people who visit every year.
A proposal by the city to turn the lake house into a 125-seat restaurant and 200-seat banquet hall with an expanded dock with boat, cross-country ski, and ice skate rentals failed to materialize due to a lack of interest from the private business sector.
Originally Washington Park included many buildings: several shelters of untrimmed logs, a pavilion, wellhouse, croquet shelter, and lakehouse once dotted the landscape. The wooden lake house was replaced in 1929 with a "modern" brick structure while the others over time succumbed to age and changing use-patterns for the park and no longer stand. The footbridge over Washington Park Lake is the only remaining original structure in Washington Park; erected over the lake in 1875 the lamps on the bridge were originally gas burning but were electrified in 1881.
The current Washington Park Lake House was built in 1929 replacing the original stick style structure constructed in 1876. It is constructed in the Spanish Revival style with terracotta, terrazzo, brick, and guastavino tile. The area in front of the lake house has been the site for the performance of plays by the Park Playhouse for over 20 years. A 900-seat amphitheater faces the lake house allowing for comfortable seating for the over 60,000 people who visit every year. A proposal by the city to turn the lake house into a 125-seat restaurant and 200-seat banquet hall with an expanded dock with boat, cross-country ski, and ice skate rentals failed to materialize due to a lack of interest from the private business sector.
Washington Park Historic District (Albany, New York)