Olmsted Network
PARKS, PLACES & PEOPLE
The Olmsted Network is the first and only national organization dedicated to championing Olmsted parks, places and principles through advocacy, education and stewardship.
Learn
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903)
Frederick Law Olmsted was born in Hartford, CT, in 1822. It wasn’t until he was 43 years old that he decided to devote himself fully to landscape architecture. His experiences as a farmer, journalist for The New York Times, administrator and public servant all influenced his later thinking and career.
Learn about Frederick Law Olmsted
Experience
Parks, Landscapes & More
Olmsted created some of the most iconic and recognizable landscapes in North America, including Central Park in New York City, the Emerald Necklace in Boston, Jackson Park in Chicago and the park systems of Louisville, Rochester and Buffalo.
Explore the Olmsted Trail
Research
Design Theory, Principles & Philosophy
Over a period of nearly 100 years, the Olmsted firm had thousands of projects throughout the United States, Canada and other countries. Explore the Master List of Design Projects, the Olmsted Papers Project, Olmsted’s Theory & Design Principles and more.
View ResourcesGet Involved
Become a champion for Parks, Places & People, and all Olmsted landscapes. Now more than ever, public parks and green spaces are critical to individual well-being, strong communities, vibrant economies and a healthy planet. Use our tools and templates to learn more and advocate for parks everywhere.
Partner
Join the Olmsted Network
Help us preserve and protect historic Olmsted landscapes; provide advocacy and technical assistance at the national and local level; offer key resources and educational material about Olmsted landscape designs; provide regular conferences and online forums for park leaders and the public; and publish and promote scholarship.
Learn more about the Olmsted NetworkFeatured Events & Stories
Featured post
Act Now: Stand with Fairsted
The Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site (Olmsted NHS) is currently facing challenges as the National Park Service (NPS) deals with ongoing funding and staff reductions. It’s important to take steps to preserve this important site, including its historic landscape, buildings, archives and educational programs, which are valuable for future generations. In 1979, Congress established […]
Featured event
Utica’s Olmsted ‘Footprint’: Then and Now
A brief history of the Olmsted brothers parks and residential development design projects in Utica, NY, between 1906 and 1931. The webinar will include a discussion of recent efforts to rehabilitate Frederick T. Proctor Park, the culmination of the firm’s collaboration with local philanthropist Thomas R. Proctor. Philip Bean earned degrees from Union College, Oxford […]