The Landscapes of Frederick Law Olmsted

The father of the public park movement in America, Frederick Law Olmsted (1822–1903) was far-sighted in his belief that parks, parkways, and residential communities were essential social institutions with great humanistic appeal. He believed passionately that immersion in nature could refresh and uplift city-dwellers, that the natural and the built could meld into a harmonious landscape, and that such harmony could inspire people to seek more harmonious community relations. In this belief, his Central Park is his greatest legacy.

Follow this link for information on the Paines' forest in the context of Olmsted, who is also the recognized father of American forestry. For more information on Frederick Law Olmsted and his landscapes, visit the National Association of Olmsted Parks, the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site or our map of selected local Frederick Law Olmsted sites.