[3] Thornden Park began as a farm owned by Zebulon Ostrom, who sold it to a wealthy salt miner James P. Haskins around 1850.

[5] Originally named Sylvn Theatre, Thornden Park's amphitheater was built in 1933.

It is built to seat 6,000 people in its concentric rings and open lawn in the middle of the amphitheater.

[citation needed] Since 2003, the Syracuse Shakespeare Festival has presented its free, Shakespeare-in-the-Park program, currently the first two weekends of June.

[citation needed] (Depictions of the history and selected features of Thornden Park, on the exterior of the pool building.)