Category: Field Notes

Field Notes
Instructions to Draftsmen
Created by the Olmsted Brothers firm in 1932, this newly digitized booklet served as a formalized guide for the office’s graphic standards.

Field Notes
Olmsted’s First Walk in a Public Park
Nearly 175 years ago, Frederick Law Olmsted’s passion for parks as democratic spaces was ignited by a trip to Birkenhead Park in England.

Field Notes
Act Now: Stand with Fairsted
The Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site—known as Fairsted—faces budget and staff reductions.

Field Notes
Revitalizing Portland’s Olmsted Parks
In this Q&A, Suzanne Bishop explains how a passionate group of advocates are pushing for a new parks funding model in Oregon’s largest city.

Field Notes
Apply Now: 2025 PGMS Green Star Awards
Honor your Olmsted-influenced landscape by applying for the Professional Grounds Management Society's Olmsted Award category by June 15, 2025.

Field Notes
New Scenic Overlook Coming to Cherokee Park
Olmsted Parks Conservancy announces investment of more than $300,000 in Chauffeur’s Rest section of Cherokee Park.

Field Notes
Preserving Hudson River State Hospital in Poughkeepsie, NY
A site of national significance, this remarkable Kirkbride hospital and its grounds— designed by Olmsted and Vaux— are currently at risk.

Field Notes
New Research Grant Opportunity: Call for Entries
The 2025 Charles E. Beveridge Research Grant supports research and projects highlighting the Olmsted firm’s legacy utilizing the Olmsted Archives at Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

Field Notes
Riverside Park Conservancy launches “More Trees, Less Trash”
Experts Margaret Bracken and John Herrold answer questions about the Conservancy’s latest tree initiative.

Field Notes
The Olmsted Society marks Riverside’s 150th Anniversary
The Olmsted Society celebrates Riverside’s 150th anniversary with a new logo and a renewed commitment to Stewardship, Education and Community Engagement.

Field Notes
Fires Threaten Olmsted & Vaux’s Prospect Park
As drought conditions grip New York City, Prospect Park Alliance contends with the recent blazes in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

Field Notes
Evolving Landscapes: Author Interview
In his new book, Design Through Time, author Mark Hough explores how landscapes evolve through generations of stewardship.

Field Notes
Beloved Olmsted scholar’s library finds a new home
Tony Horwitz’s collection of Olmsted books was recently donated to the University of Virginia’s Center for Cultural Landscapes.

Field Notes
Battered, Biltmore Rises
As the Asheville, NC, region struggles to recover from the unparalleled devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, America’s largest home offers its neighbors aid.

Field Notes
Olmsted Legacy Shines at ASLA & PGMS Conferences
Last month, the Olmsted Network attended not one but two partner conferences.