We invite you to travel back in time to 1930s Camden, during the depths of the Depression. It was then that publishing heiress, philanthropist, and progressive activist Mary Louise Curtis Bok hired the Olmsted Brothers firm—America’s preeminent landscape architects—to bring her vision for Camden’s harbor shorefront to life.
Drawing on documents and photographs from the Camden Public Library’s Walsh History Center archives, Dr. Jennifer Gromada will present a biography of Camden’s generous benefactress, highlight key insights into the Olmsteds’ design principles, and reveal how these two larger-than-life forces transformed the head of Camden Harbor into the beloved oasis now known as Harbor Park. The presentation will conclude with a glimpse into how these spaces continue to honor and steward the Olmsteds’ enduring Camden legacy today.
Dr. Jennifer Gromada is a historian, author, and independent scholar based in Camden, Maine. Her work focuses on local and cultural history, with an emphasis on uncovering the stories behind places, institutions, and the individuals who shaped them. Jennifer holds a Doctor of Letters from Drew University and serves on the Camden Historic Resources Committee and the Camden Public Library Board of Trustees.
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