Piedmont Park

Frederick Law Olmsted first visited the grounds of what is now Piedmont Park in 1895 to provide consultation for the layout of the Cotton States and International Exposition. When the event had passed, the 186-acres of fairgrounds sat largely unused until it was purchased by the City of Atlanta and designated for park purposes in 1909. 

 During the early 1900s the Olmsted Brothers firm was involved in multiple landscape projects in the South and were employed by the City Council of Atlanta to design, plan and improve several parks in the Georgia capitol. Following work at Druid Hills and Grant Park, the Olmsted Brothers were tasked with converting the exposition grounds into an urban public park.  

Three years later, John Charles Olmsted visited the site and drew a preliminary plan. It included public amenities and features to accompany the planned lake, pond, lawn, and arbor. The final plan was in typical picturesque-style and featured several recreational facilities, such as a conservancy, sand courts, and baseball fields, as well as curvilinear walking paths. Although the Olmsted plan was not finalized in its entirety due to financial and budget restrictions, several elements of the firm’s vision were followed and came to fruition.  

The decades of the 1970s and 80s saw changes to Piedmont Park, with the elimination of the golf course and the closure of through traffic, in order to cater to more pedestrian friendly activities.  Piedmont Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and was recognized as a fine example of the lasting principles the Olmsted firm applied to the design of urban landscapes.  

In 1989 the Piedmont Park Conservancy was established to oversee the preservation and restoration of the park, and an updated masterplan was adopted by the city in 1995. Most recently in 2024, the conservancy initiated a Comprehensive Plan. With a focus on community engagement and public programming, the plan serves as an effort to address ongoing concerns and shape the future of Piedmont Park.