Category: Parks & Public Spaces

Conservation & Advocacy
Let Olmsted Point the Way
The planned demolition of Boston's Shattuck Hospital presents an opportunity to reclaim public parkland.

Personal Reflections
Retracing Olmsted’s Footsteps
Olmsted Network President & CEO Dede Petri recounts the trip of a lifetime, retracing Frederick Law Olmsted's footsteps in England with John Phibbs, Gilly Kitching and 12 intrepid Olmsted pilgrims. Olmsted’s first book and delightful travelogue, Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England, provides the backdrop for these observations.

Personal Reflections
Walking in the Footsteps of Giants
Olmsted relative and landscape architect Susan Olmsted recounts the magic of walking in her ancestor’s footsteps as she helps restore California’s Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias for future generations.

Conservation & Advocacy
FLO Honored on Capitol Hill with Tree Dedication Ceremony
Recently, Congress planted a Kentucky coffeetree to memorialize Frederick Law Olmsted's powerful impact on the U.S. Capitol Grounds and America's physical and social fabric.

Spotlights
Spotlight on…Central Park
Explore the landscapes of Olmsted and Vaux's iconic Central Park in New York City.

Olmsted in the Arts
Washington Park Camera Club Produces South Park Then and Now
With the assistance of the Hyde Park Historical Society and the Terra Foundation, the Washington Park Camera Club produced a memorable bicentennial video depicting South Park Then and Now.

Landscape Architecture & Design
The design principles of Frederick Law Olmsted in light of recent psychological research
John Olmsted explores Frederick Law Olmsted's design principles through a psychological lens.

Conservation & Advocacy
Franklin Park Action Plan: Restoring Olmsted’s Forgotten Haven
Franklin Park, a neglected park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted as part of Boston’s famed Emerald Necklace, sees a comprehensive action plan after a three-year planning process.

Conservation & Advocacy
Bicentennial Investments
Olmsted 200 has inspired a renewal of interest in Olmsted parks and places— and the principles behind them. This post showcases a sampling of the many magnificent investments that dedicated communities are making in their landscapes across the country.

Olmsted & the Olmsted Firm
Exploring the Olmsted Legacy in Maryland: How the Friends of Maryland’s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes Can Help
As its contribution to Olmsted 200, the FMOPL Archives Committee has compiled a Master List of the digital and archival records for projects throughout Maryland that involved the Olmsted firm— 136 projects in all! They seek to foster research on Maryland Olmsted Projects.

Field Notes
Olmsted City of Greater Utica focuses on raising funds for restoration projects
Run entirely by volunteers, Olmsted City of Greater Utica has taken tremendous steps forward in educating its community and raising funds for restoration projects.

Field Notes
Village of Riverside’s volunteers include Gold Award Girl Scout
The Village reflects on two projects— improving Triangle 55 and planting a grove in honor of Olmsted’s bicentennial.

Field Notes
Rhode Island Historic Society celebrates 200th anniversary with massive “Putting Down Roots” project
On its 200th anniversary, the Rhode Island Historical Society undergoes many changes to ensure its future success.

Field Notes
Exciting upgrades come to Louisville’s Olmsted Parks
Olmsted Parks Conservancy unveils new recreational opportunities and continues making progress on the Beargrass Preserve at Cherokee Park expansion.

Field Notes
Olmsted-Beil House debuts map project and welcomes Eagle Scout volunteer
The Friends of Olmsted Beil House offer new educational and ecological offerings at Olmsted’s Farmhouse.