CHAPTER I

FORTY YEARS OF

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

BEING THE PROFESSIONAL PAPERS OF

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED, SENIOR

[Illustration: Frederick Law Olmsted in 1850]

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

1822-1903

EDITED BY

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED, JR.

AND

THEODORA KIMBALL

★

EARLY YEARS AND EXPERIENCES

TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

_ILLUSTRATED_

G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS

NEW YORK AND LONDON

The Knickerbocker Press

1922

Copyright, 1922

by

Frederick Law Olmsted

Made in the United States of America

[Illustration]

ON THE CENTENNIAL YEAR OF HIS BIRTH IS PUBLISHED THIS

FIRST VOLUME OF THE PROFESSIONAL PAPERS OF

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED

PREFACE

The richness and variety of the professional papers left by Frederick

Law Olmsted, Senior, is astonishing, especially in view of the enormous

amount of work on the ground which he accomplished in the almost

forty years of his active career as a Landscape Architect. Orderly

and thorough by habit of thought, he wrote down with minute care the

various steps of his professional dealings, in many cases retaining

unused drafts which show valuable processes of mind. From the beginning

he realized fully the importance of presenting the new profession to

the public in a favorable light, and was constantly “coming before the

public,”--as the phrase went,--in the daily press and in occasional

pamphlets. Several of his professional reports also were printed at his

own expense, but a far greater number have lain buried in the files of

Park Department Documents or have never been printed in any form. His

personal life after 1857 was so closely bound up with his professional

activities that his family and friendly letters reveal many sidelights

on his work. The record of his professional correspondence is

fortunately full. When the political harassments to which he was

subjected prevented him from sleeping, he used to while away the hours

of the night by writing, sometimes in regard to his current problems

and sometimes bits of general wisdom gained in his professional

experience. About 1890 when he was obliged in some degree to lessen

his travelling about, he wrote several long retrospective letters,

reviewing his career, and he left also two or three short fragments of

autobiography, which are included in this present volume.

Among the many people outside the Olmsted family who had preserved and

were able to return letters for editorial purposes, there should be

especially mentioned: the late Frederick J. Kingsbury of Waterbury,

Conn., who added to the letters a valuable group of reminiscences; Miss

Emma Brace (letters to her father Charles Loring Brace) who assisted

also in the preliminary sorting of Olmsted letters; Miss Sarah Norton

(letters to her father Charles Eliot Norton); and the Vaux family, who

have aided the editors of Mr. Olmsted’s papers in every possible way,

Mr. Bowyer Vaux especially, and given permission for the publication

in Vol. Two of several very illuminating letters from Calvert Vaux to

Mr. Olmsted, in 1864-65, which formed a turning point in the latter’s

career.

The present volume of Mr. Olmsted’s papers is intended as an

introduction to a series covering his main activities as a Landscape

Architect. The writings are to be arranged by large groups, according

to the nature of the works in connection with which they were

written,--public parks and park systems, town plans, land subdivisions,

grounds for public and semi-public buildings, private estates, and

so on. This somewhat arbitrary rather than sequential arrangement is

adopted perforce because Mr. Olmsted’s writings--illuminating as they

are in regard to principles of wide application--relate, with few

exceptions, directly to some specific problem or set of conditions,

dealing with the case now from the point of view of æsthetics, now from

that of utility and convenience or economy, sometimes from that of the

sociologist, sometimes from that of the administrator or that of the

artisan.

Mr. Olmsted wrote not primarily to set forth general theories but

to show how to get satisfactory results under actual specific

circumstances and requirements as he found them, or to carry conviction

of the wisdom of certain courses of action which he advised.

In this connection it is interesting to compare his professional

writings with those of A. J. Downing,--whose friendship unquestionably

did much to stimulate and develop Mr. Olmsted’s interest in landscape

matters, and whose activities in the Central Park campaign and in

bringing Calvert Vaux into relations with Mr. Olmsted led the latter

so unexpectedly into the profession. It is very striking to note the

contrast between Downing’s somewhat doctrinaire and _a priori_ method

of discussing landscape problems, and Mr. Olmsted’s habitual method,

which was frankly to envisage the peculiar facts of each situation

as an individual problem to be solved on its own merits in its own

individual way, and then to test and perhaps correct his conclusions

by reasoning back to find principles consistent alike with the facts

and artistic intuitions present in this particular case and with other

principles and theories accepted by him as sound and true. He looked

on theories and “principles” as valuable tools of service, inevitably

incomplete and defective, frequently in need of reshaping, sharpening

and improvement, and he was seldom tempted to overlook or minimize new

and special factors in a problem merely because their recognition would

force him to modify what he had come to regard as firmly established

principles.

As a result of his method of writing Mr. Olmsted’s published papers

must necessarily be a somewhat disjointed compilation, passages of the

greatest interest and value for their applicability to problems of

residential property occurring in the discussion of a park problem and

vice versa, points of detail in matters of technique sometimes coming

cheek by jowl with discussions of fundamentally controlling purposes.

It is proposed, however, to round out the series by a general volume

which will weave together many fragments and extracts,--mainly from

letters and reports not considered worthy of presentation _in extenso_

in the previous volumes, together with connecting and explanatory

matter by F. L. Olmsted, Junior,--into an orderly and consistent

presentation of the theory and practice of the landscape art as

developed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Senior. This last volume is also to

contain a full subject index to all the material in the whole series

of volumes, thus opening for ready reference a mine of information

on hundreds of topics in the field of landscape architecture and

administration of public works.

While Volume One is devoted to the background of Mr. Olmsted’s

professional career, Volume Two will deal with his first professional

undertaking, the New York Central Park, designed in coöperation with

Calvert Vaux, which marks the beginning of a new era of parks and of

civic design in America. On this account it has seemed desirable to

give a much fuller presentation of Mr. Olmsted’s papers relating to

Central Park than can be given to any other single example of design.

This is the more justifiable because many of the later park reports

repeat and develop principles first stated in connection with Central

Park.

Furthermore the history of Central Park is considered of such

importance in the development of the City of New York that the Russell

Sage Foundation, in connection with the survey of Greater New York

and Environs, has made a special grant to enable the editors of the

Olmsted Papers to produce a monograph on Central Park which shall

not only present the Park from the standpoint of design, but shall

also give a connected history of its conception, design, construction,

and management up to the time of its fullest development before its

principal designers lost touch with it in the 80’s. The volume will

therefore offer not merely, or even primarily, Mr. Olmsted’s personal

contribution as a designer, but rather the conception of the park as

he always regarded it,--as a great collaborative effort in and for a

democratic community.

* * * * *

The editorial work on the great mass of Mr. Olmsted’s papers personal

and professional was begun soon after his death by F. L. Olmsted,

Junior. At this time, 1903-04, the bulk of the papers was gone over

and separated into the more and less important, and a beginning made

on their arrangement, with the assistance of Mr. Philip P. Sharples.

In the spring of 1920, Mr. F. L. Olmsted engaged the present editor’s

services to bring the material into definitive form for publication,

while Mrs. Frederick Law Olmsted, Senior, was still alive to lend the

aid of her memory to the work. During the summer and fall of 1920 Mrs.

Olmsted, at ninety years of age, made it her major occupation, saw the

scheme of the whole series of volumes take shape, and approved the

selection of material for the first volume, in which she herself had

perhaps the greatest personal interest. It was hoped that the first

volume might appear on the hundredth anniversary of Mr. Olmsted’s

birth, April 26, 1922, and that she might live to see it published.

She died on April 23, 1921, but not before she had helped the work

immeasurably not only by her discriminating advice but by the

inspiration of her interest.

The whole work has been subject to the direction, criticism, and

approval of the present Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, who has made the

editorial work and publication possible, and has added some of the

brief explanatory notes.

T. K.

BROOKLINE, July 28, 1922.

CONTENTS

_PART I_

PAGE

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 1822-1903 1

_PART II_

EARLY EXPERIENCES: THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HIS LATER CAREER

CHAPTER

I. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL PASSAGES 43

II. EARLY PLEASURE TOURS 64

III. STUDY AND READING 68

IV. FARMING 75

V. LANDSCAPING 84

VI. RELATIONS WITH DOWNING 88

VII. LANDSCAPE OBSERVATIONS FROM TRAVEL 94

VIII. SOUTHERN TRIPS, 1852-1854 111

IX. REPUTATION IN 1857 117

_PART III_

AMERICAN LANDSCAPE GARDENING IN 1857 121

ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING PAGE

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED IN 1850 _Frontispiece_

THE FIVE FRIENDS IN NEW HAVEN DAYS 66

Charles Trask, Frederick J. Kingsbury, John Hull Olmsted,

Charles Loring Brace, and Frederick Law Olmsted.

FACSIMILE OF LETTER WITH MR. OLMSTED’S EARLIEST

SKETCH FOR IMPROVEMENT OF GROUNDS, 1847 84

FACSIMILE OF PETITION TO SECURE APPOINTMENT OF

MR. OLMSTED AS SUPERINTENDENT OF CENTRAL PARK, 1857 120

LIST OF PAPERS AND DOCUMENTS

A sequential list of the more important papers included in this

volume. Matter previously printed is shown by italic type.

Autobiographical Fragments:

PAGE

Passages in the Life of an Unpractical Man 45

Hints Aidful to Elementary Self-Education in Design 58

Selections from Letters to Members of Family and Boyhood

Friends, 1845-1851 64

Account by Mary Cleveland Perkins Olmsted of Life on

Staten Island, and Meeting of Olmsted and Perkins Families 78

Selection from Paper by John Charles Olmsted read before

Boston Society of Landscape Architects, 1916: The

Influence of A. J. Downing upon the Designers of Central Park 88

Letter from F. L. Olmsted to Andrew Jackson Downing, 1850 89

Selections from _Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in

England_, Edition of 1852 94

Selection from _A Journey in Texas_, Edition of 1857, and _A

Journey in the Back Country_, Edition of 1860 111

Petition that F. L. Olmsted be Appointed Superintendent

of the Central Park, 1857, signed by Washington Irving

and others _facing_ 120

Letter from Asa Gray recommending F. L. Olmsted 120

Selection from Article by F. L. Olmsted on _Parks_, Appleton’s

New American Cyclopedia, 1861 125

A Letter from F. L. Olmsted to a Park Commissioner of

Rochester, N. Y., 1888, regarding the Status of Landscape

Architecture in the United States 127

Frederick Law Olmsted

Landscape Architect

PART I. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

1822-1903

PART I

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

1822-1903

1822: Born at Hartford, Conn., son of Charlotte Law

Apr. 26 (Hull) and John Olmsted, prosperous merchant

of Hartford.

1826: “At school to Mrs. Jeffry.”--J. O.[1]

April

1828: “Fredk. has been to Mrs. Jeffry’s school 3 quarters,

Feb. 18 to Mrs. Smith’s one and a half, to Miss

Rockwell’s one. Books at Miss R’s: _Webster’s

Spelling Book_, _Testament_, _Jack Hallyard_, _Peter

Parley’s Tales_, _Juvenile Instructor_.”--J. O.

1829-1830: “To Rev. Z. Whittemore, No. Guilford.”--J. O.

1830: “Returned home and began at Grammar School,

Sep. 27 Hartford.”--J. O.

1831: “To Ellington High School.”--J. O.

May 18

Oct. 8 “To school and board with Rev. Joab Brace, of

Newington.”--J. O. Remained there with visits

home and trips with Father till June 30, 1836,

fitting for college.

1836: “To Rev. G. C. N. Eastman at Saybrooke.”--J.

Jul. 1 O.

Sep. 1 “To Grammar School with John.”--J. O.

Dec. 1 “To Mr. Perkins’ school, East Hartford. Now

ready to enter college.”--J. O.

1837: “To New York, consulted Dr. Wallace for weak

eyes. Advised sea bathing. To Saybrook with

Rev. Eastman again for 3 months. Advised to

give up college on account of eyes.”--J. O.

Nov. 20 “To Andover, Mass., to study engineering with

Prof. Barton. (Nov., 1838 Mr. Barton removed

to Collinsville, Conn. & Fredk. with him. Staid

till May 1840)”--J. O.

1838: Frederick at Andover. Summer vacation journey

to White Mountains.

1839: Father took Frederick to Washington. Home

Dec. 9 Dec. 24.

1840: Went to work for Benkard and Hutton, French

Aug. 18 dry goods importers, New York City. Left their

employ March, 1842.

1842: Attended lectures at Yale.

1843: Sailed before the mast for Canton in the bark

Apr. 23 “Ronaldson.” Vessel back in New York Apr. 15,

1844.

1844: Spent some months at his Uncle Brooks’ farm in

Cheshire (Conn.) learning farming.

1845: Spent summer on Mr. Joseph Welton’s farm at

Waterbury and winter at New Haven attending

lectures.

1846: Went to the farm of Mr. George Geddes, “Fairmount,”

April near Syracuse, N. Y., to study farming.

Home in October.

1847: About to begin independent farming at Sachem’s

Jan’y Head, Guilford, Conn., on a small farm purchased

for him by his Father.

June An “honorary member” of the Class of 1847 at

Yale.

1848: Father bought for Frederick the Ackerly farm,

Jan. 1 South Side, Staten Island, where he soon after

established himself, continuing to operate it until

1854.

Oct. 20 Frederick writes “full of enthusiasm on tree planting

and nurseries.”

1849: Farming and beginning a nursery business.

1850: Sailed from New York on the “Henry Clay” with

Apr. 30 his brother and Charles Brace. Returned by

“City of Glasgow” with brother Oct. 24. “Expenses

of journey about $300 each. 2 weeks in

Germany, 2 weeks in Belgium & France, 1 week in

Ireland, 3 weeks in Scotland, remainder in England.”--J.

O.

1850: Corresponding Secretary of the Richmond County

Agricultural Society.

1851: Farming and writing. Visited A. J. Downing at

Newburgh.

1852: Published _Walks and Talks of an American Farmer

Feb. 18 in England._ (G. P. Putnam & Co., New York.)

Dec. 11 Started on Southern tour.

1853: Letters to the New York _Times_ began, giving his

Feb. 16 impressions of the “Seaboard Slave States.”

(Published as a book of that title, 1856.)

Nov. 10 “Fredk. and John started on their journey to

Mexico and California.”--J. O. (Frederick again

as correspondent for the _Times_. Letters edited

with the help of his brother and published as a

book _A Journey in Texas, 1857_.)

1854: Frederick considered settling in Texas, but returned,

traveling on horseback from New Orleans

to Richmond. Home summer of 1854. (Trip

home published as _A Journey in the Back Country_,

1860.)

1855-1856: With George William Curtis, went into partnership

with Dix and Edwards in publishing business.

Edited _Putnam’s Magazine_. Publishing business

failed, leaving Olmsted and Curtis liable for considerable

amount of bad debts.

1856: Sailed with sister Mary in “Arabia” for Europe,

Feb. 13 mainly on publishing business. Spent greater

part of time in London, but travelled also on continent

in Italy and Germany. Mar. 12, proceeding

from London to Paris with American Envoy’s

dispatches.

1857: In New York trying to wind up Dix and Edwards

Feb. 10 publishing business. “Trial balance still not

ready.”

Sep. 11 Appointed Superintendent of the Central Park in

New York.

1857-1858: At request of Calvert Vaux, collaborated with

him in the preparation of a design for the Central

Park to submit in the recently opened competition.

1858: Olmsted and Vaux awarded first prize for their

Apr. 28 plan submitted under the title “Greensward.”

May 17 Frederick Law Olmsted appointed Architect in

Chief of the Central Park.

1859: Scope of the work extended by enlargement of

Apr. 2 Park area to 110th Street, by act of Legislature.

Jun. 13 Married in Bogardus House, Central Park (by

Mayor Tiemann) Mary Cleveland (Perkins) Olmsted,

widow of his brother John Hull Olmsted,

thus becoming step-father to her children: John

Charles, Charlotte, and Owen. Moved later in

the summer to the old convent building at Mt. St.

Vincent in the Park.

Sep. 28 Sailed for Liverpool on the “Persia,” having been

granted leave of absence and a letter of credit for

£100 by the Park Commissioners “to procure in

Europe material and information of advantage to

Central Park.”

Dec. 5 Sailed from Queenstown on the “America,”

arriving home Dec. 18.

1860: The management of Central Park investigated by

the State Legislature. (Vindicated.)

Furnished to Appleton’s _New American Cyclopedia_

by request first article on _Parks_, in any American

encyclopedia. (Volume published 1861.) See

_post_ p. 125.

Mar. 29 At Hartford with Mr. Vaux to look at the grounds

of the Hartford Retreat for the Insane, for which

advice and plan subsequently given.

1860: Olmsted and Vaux appointed “Landscape Architects

April and designers to the Commissioners North

of 155th Street.”

Jun. 14 A son, John Theodore Olmsted, born. Died in

infancy.

Aug. 6 Thrown from carriage and thigh broken. Park

work directed from bed and later from litter.

1861: _Journeys and Explorations in the Cotton Kingdom_

in 2 volumes published in London, a compilation

of the three Southern journeys already published

in America in 1856, 1857, and 1860, and widely

circulated as accurate information on the state of

the South.

Jan’y Resignation presented to Park Commissioners (on

account of political interference) and withdrawn,

“all carefully kept mum so as not to embarrass the

proceedings at Albany.”

Apr. 17 “My resignation, and all that, is before a Committee

this week.” Withdrawn.

June Leave of absence granted to go to Washington as

Secretary of the United States Sanitary Commission,

which he helped to organize, and of which he

was (under the Presidency of Dr. Bellows) chief

executive officer until 1863. Connection with

Central Park still retained.

Oct. 28 Daughter, Marion Olmsted, born at Mt. St. Vincent.

1862: Considering possibility of securing post of U. S.

April Commissioner of Agriculture and Statistics (bureau

proposed) as alternative to landscape gardening

business.--F. L. O. letter to J. O.

Oct’r In New York to work on the Park, “object and

only justification for being away from Washington.”

Offered office of Street Commissioner by the Mayor

of New York. Accepted “on condition that I am

not to be trammelled in appointments, etc.” Not

consummated.

Dec. 15 Frederick met his father in New York. “Fredk’s

Washington address, 185 South B St., corner of

W. 9th, back of Smithsonian. Office San. Com.,

Adams House, 244 F St.”--J. O.

1862-1863: Joined with Dr. Bellows, Wolcott Gibbs, and

others in the formation of the Union League Club,

to perpetuate the ideals of the United States Sanitary

Commission.

1863: Trip to Cleveland, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago,

Spring etc., on business for Sanitary Commission. “Obvious

want of a pleasure-ground” in Chicago

noted.

May 14 Olmsted & Vaux resign as Landscape Architects

of Central Park. Resolution of confidence passed.

Summer Obliged to withdraw from Sanitary Commission,

owing to overwork.

Interested with Charles Eliot Norton and others

in a project for founding a weekly review. Later,

during his absence in California this project developed

into the _Nation_.

Aug. 10 Offered Superintendency of the Mariposa Mining

estates in California. Accepted.

Sep. 14 Sailed without family in the “Champion” for

California. Arrived at San Francisco Oct. 11.

Late Personal property and professional library burned

Fall while in storage at Staten Island Farm.

1864: Joined by family at the Mariposa Estates, Bear

Early Valley.

Spring

Honorary A.M. from Harvard University, on

account of work for United States Sanitary Commission.

Summer Olmsted family in Yosemite camping. Mr. Olmsted

made trip Eastward through the High Sierras

accompanied by John Charles Olmsted and

Professor Brewer of the State Geological Survey.

Sep. 27 Appointed Commissioner of Yosemite and Mariposa

Big Tree Grove by Governor Low of California

under act of Congress granting same as State

Reservation. Made President of the Commission.

Oct’r “Engaged in plans for laying out a cemetery at

Oakland--and have been consulted as to a park

there.” (Report on Mountain View Cemetery

published 1865.)

Manager’s General Report of the Mariposa Estates

published in New York.

1865: Appointed on Committee for California State

Jan’y Agricultural Fair.

Considers undertaking a newspaper in San Francisco

“instead of going with Vaux on the Brooklyn

Park.”

Mar. 12 Writes to C. Vaux: “I am getting on with my

cemetery--I have made preliminary reconnoissance

for large piece of ground held by College of

California which I propose to lay out upon the

Llewellyn plan--I have given plans for improvement

of a country seat.”

July Offers from Godkin and Norton for work on _Nation_

and Committee of Loyal Publication Society if he

will return to New York.

Jul. 19 Olmsted & Vaux reappointed Landscape Architects

to the Board of Commissioners of Central Park.

Jul. 24 “I have undertaken to lay out a village and

grounds for the College of California which will

occupy what time I have to spare for a month or

two.”--F. L. O. to J. O.

Jul. 26 Notified of election as General Secretary of American

Freedmen’s Union. Refused.

Aug. 31 Proposes to accept Central Park appointment of

which he has just “last night received word from

Vaux” (telegraph out of order) and to resign from

managership of Mariposa Estates.

Sep’r Advising on park for San Francisco.

Olmsted & Vaux appointed to design the Brooklyn

Park.

Sep. 28 Writes to C. Vaux: “I shall bring work enough to

keep Miller busy for fully a month after arrival, I

think. I only work out the park plans crudely

here, so as to have your help on it. The profit of

it I intend to share with you--also to put O. & V.

to the engraved cemetery plan if you approve.

This latter also to be finished in New York.”

Nov. 17 Officially selected to report to the Board of Supervisors

a plan for a public park for San Francisco.

Nov. 22 Arrived with family in New York from California.

1866: Report upon a Projected Improvement of the

Estate of the College of California at Berkeley,

Olmsted, Vaux & Co., printed.

Report on Columbia Institute for the Deaf and

Dumb, Olmsted, Vaux & Co., printed, Washington,

D. C.

Pamphlet: A Few Things to be thought of before

proceeding to plan buildings for the National

Agricultural College, printed.

Spring Olmsted family residing at Amos Street, Clifton,

near Vanderbilt’s Landing, Staten Island, for Mr.

Olmsted’s convenience in ferrying across to

Brooklyn for the Park work.

Mar. 31 Report on Public Pleasure Grounds for San Francisco

submitted. (Afterwards printed.)

May 29 Olmsted, Vaux & Co. reappointed Landscape

Architects to the Board of Commissioners of Prospect

Park, Brooklyn. Preliminary report of the

Landscape Architects was published 1866.

1867: Park work for New Britain, Conn.

Honorary A.M. Amherst College.

June Advice to Charles Eliot Norton on subdivision

into lots and street connections of property near

Harvard University. (Advice also in 1868 and

1869 and later). At this time a strong friendship

was formed between the Norton and Olmsted

families, and Mr. Olmsted’s visits to the Nortons

were among the few personal visits he made.

Oct. 4 Visit to Newark, N. J., to give advice on park,

followed by report. (Later printed.)

1868: Preliminary report upon the proposed suburban

village at Riverside near Chicago, Olmsted, Vaux &

Co., printed.

Reports for Brooklyn Park Commission on Washington

Park, Parade Grounds, and Street Plans,

printed.

Report on proposed city park for Albany, O. V. &

Co., printed.

Feb. 8 Plan to C. E. Norton, Harvard University, for

connecting walks through University grounds,

vicinity Oxford Street and Norton property.

Aug’t To see Barry and “learn what had become of the

Rochester Park project.” Also with Calvert Vaux

visited Vassar College to give advice as to plan.

Aug. 14 “I have a business invitation today from Buffalo

and shall splice it into the Chicago expedition in

some way.” Aug. 25, addressed public meeting

in Buffalo in regard to Park project.

Aug. 29 Mentions jobs in letter to C. Vaux: Buffalo,

Brooklyn, Chicago-Riverside.

1869: Brooklyn park work very absorbing. (H. W. S.

Cleveland employed by Mr. Olmsted on the

Brooklyn work at this time.) Riverside going on.

Preliminary report for Buffalo park printed.

(About) Conversation at Cataract House with Mr. William

Sep’r Dorsheimer and others regarding the preservation

of Niagara Falls.

1870: Reports: on park for New Britain; to Mr. J. S.

Blatchford (Boston) on Needham Hundreds (suitability

for residential land subdivision); to Maine

Agricultural College (printed); and on park site

for Hartford (probably 1870).

Address before American Social Science Association

at Lowell Institute, Boston: Public Parks

and the Enlargement of towns (printed).

Mar. 5 Appointed on the Commission for the Improvement

of Staten Island, with H. H. Richardson and

others.

Apr. 5 Advice to Amherst College.

Apr. 7 Olmsted, Vaux & Co. agreement with Chicago

South Park Commission.

June O. V. & Co. Report to the Committee on Park

Improvement, Fall River.

Jun. 2 O. V. & Co. letter refers to “Recent changes of

administration in Central Park, and change of

organization now occurring with pending legal

proceedings threatening from day to day a suspension

of work on the Brooklyn Parks under our

superintendence.”

Jul. 22 Advice to C. K. Hamilton in regard to proposed

resort or “exposition” on Staten Island.

Jul. 24 Son, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., born.

Aug. 2 Letter of advice to General Meigs in regard to

planting of National Cemeteries.

Nov. 30 Olmsted and Vaux resigned from their Central

Park duties after their advice had been disregarded

and politics rendered their situation impossible.

1871: Reports for Chicago South Park and Staten Island

improvement printed.

Mar. 11 Olmsted, Vaux & Co., asked to prepare a plan for

park in Philadelphia and preliminary sketch

submitted.

July “My age is 50 years, residence New York City,

occupation Landscape Architect.”--F. L. O. in

deposition.

At work on Tarrytown Heights subdivision.

Sep’r Shared house in 45th St. with friends, and spent

there winter of 1871-1872.

Oct’r Advice on subdivision at Irvington, N. Y. for

Cyrus W. Field. (Olmsted, Vaux & Co. Memorandum

of suggestions printed.)

Nov. 23 Olmsted and Vaux reappointed Landscape Architects

of New York Department of Public Parks.

1872: Report on new suburban district of Tarrytown

Feb’y Heights, Olmsted, Vaux & Co. (printed).

May Report on sites for Trinity College, Hartford.

May 29 Appointed a Commissioner of the New York Department

of Public Parks, and elected President

and Treasurer of the Board. (Calvert Vaux

appointed Landscape Architect.) Resigned and

reappointed Landscape Architect, Oct. 24, C. Vaux

becoming Consulting Landscape Architect.

Oct. 18 Partnership between Olmsted and Vaux dissolved

for reasons of mutual convenience.

Late Moved to house at 209 West 46th Street, permanent

Fall residence and office until 1883 (although most

of time subsequent to 1880 actually spent in Boston).

Dec. 13 Report to Massachusetts General Hospital on

sites for its “Retreat for the Insane.” (McLean

Asylum.)

Dec’r Memorandum from account sheet “Vaux in a/c

with O. & V.” Brooklyn; Fall River Park Dept.;

Central Park; Chicago expenses; Philadelphia expenses;

Poughkeepsie expenses; Providence Park;

W. B. Ogden; Trinity Bridge; Tillinghast; F. E.

Church (place on Hudson); Chase; Barr; McCormick.

Undetermined a/c: Phila. Park; Tarrytown

extra work; Finance Dept.; Mr. Gillette, Kaatskill.

1873: Year marked by very active work on the Central

Park and the preparation of a large number of

special reports, including reorganization of the

Keepers force, Statistical Report of the Landscape

Architect with historical survey of Central Park,

etc.

Preliminary visit to Mount Royal, Montreal.

This was made the occasion of a pleasure trip in

which Mrs. Olmsted and the H. H. Richardsons

participated.

Jun. 17 Attended Rhododendron Show of Massachusetts

Horticultural Society on Boston Common as

representative of the N. Y. Dept. of Public Parks.

Aug. 17 Reports on examination of land in Waverly for

McLean Asylum,--3d report on subject.

Sep. 17 Presented resignation as Landscape Architect of

the N. Y. Dept. of Public Parks. Consented “to

resume service under the Commission upon a

modified arrangement, vindicating my professional

standing and securing me against another similar

experience.”

1874: Coöperated with Mr. Weidenmann on Hyde estate.

Checks deposited for services Oakwood Cemetery

(Syracuse), Amherst (Mass.) Common, Yale

College, and for grounds of Mr. Lord, Morristown,

N.J.

On salary from Buffalo Park Commission and

United States Capitol.

Several special reports on Central Park printed.

Jan’y Report submitted to Senator Morrill on Public

Grounds at Washington, including Capitol grounds

and area to Lafayette Square. Mr. Olmsted’s

Capitol work was facilitated by his coöperation

and friendship with Edward Clark, who held the

office of Architect of the Capitol.

April Design for United States Hotel grounds, Saratoga

Springs.

May 1 Entered into working arrangement with Mr.

Jacob Weidenmann, landscape architect, then of

New York, to use his office facilities and secure

occasional coöperation. Draft of announcement

reads: “Mr. Olmsted and Mr. Weidenmann can

at all times be commanded for any business of their

common profession.”

May 14 Planting plan and report for Jeffersonville (Ind.)

U. S. Army Depot.

Jun. 27 Report to Hartford Insane Retreat on west portion

of grounds.

Nov’r Engaged for advice on the development of Mount

Royal Park, Montreal, and furnished written

instructions during progress of construction (1874-1876).

Dec’r Deposited check from Johns Hopkins University

for plan.

1875: Engaged in giving advice for the laying out of a

“summer village” at Chatauqua Point.

Plan for the new stairways and terraces west of

the U. S. Capitol favorably reported by the Committees

of Public Buildings and Grounds and

adopted by Congress.

Reports for Buffalo and New York City parks

(Riverside Park with Vaux) printed. Revised

article on _Parks_ in Appleton’s Cyclopedia published.

May Gives advice as to lay-out of grounds and placing

of buildings, Trinity College, Hartford, to replace

plans previously given, but mislaid.

May 6 Requested by the Q. M. General of the War Dept.

to furnish plans for the “improvement of its

grounds in a tasteful manner” of the Schuylkill

Arsenal, Philadelphia.

June Plans for McLean Asylum lay-out requested, on

site in Waverly recommended.

After graduation from Sheffield Scientific School

at Yale, John Charles Olmsted became an apprentice

with Frederick Law Olmsted.

Jul. 31 Visit, consultation and advice to Park Commission,

Providence, R. I.

Oct’r-Nov’r In correspondence with Boston Park Commissioners

about the Boston Park system.

Nov. 5 “The Landscape Architect is hereby requested to

prepare a plan for laying out the Annexed district

of the 23d and 24th Wards,” City of New York.

1876: Prepared for Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia,

a map of Buffalo showing “late additions to the

plan.”

Mar. 3 Report of Advisory Board on plans of the new

Capitol at Albany (Olmsted, Eidlitz, and Richardson).

Later printed. The friendship of the three

collaborators in this Albany work became lifelong.

March-June Reports for Johns Hopkins University on “Clifton

Estate” site.

Apr. 8 Letter to Boston Park Commission on proposed

park sites: Charles River embankment, Back Bay,

Jamaica Pond, West Roxbury.

May 31 Accepted unpaid office under the New York State

Survey, from which he resigned in August because

he was advised that it was doubtful if he could

legally hold office under both New York City and

State. Political enemies caused his salary as Landscape

Architect to the N. Y. Dept. of Public Parks

to be withheld, for which he entered suit. Suit

won 1877 on ground that the Landscape Architect

of the City of New York was not an officer.

Aug. 4 Reinstated by resolution of the Commissioners of

the N. Y. Dept. of Public Parks, a resolution to

discontinue his services failing to pass.

Nov. 13 Deposited check from Buffalo State Asylum for

grounds.

Nov. 15 Submitted Preliminary Report of the Landscape

Architect and the Civil and Topographical Engineer

(Croes) upon the laying out of the 23d and

24th Wards (New York City). Report “introductory

to a series of plans for laying out the new

wards of the city. The first of these can, if desired,

be laid before the Board at its next meeting, a

second and third are in preparation and the whole

series is in progress of study.” All later printed,

including report on local steam transit routes

(1877).

Dec’r Advice to Baltimore on Washington Monument

grounds.

1877: Construction work on the United States Capitol

proceeding according to his plans.

July Mentions Baltimore, Washington, and Montreal

as going on.

Jul. 15 “I am warmly engaged in the fight upon the

(N. Y. State) Capitol just now, having been most

of the time the last two weeks in Albany.”

Dec. 12 Board of Commissioners of the N. Y. Dept. of

Public Parks orders Mr. Olmsted’s salary, withheld

by Comptroller on account of charges against

him, to be paid.

Dec. 26 Board grants him leave of absence for three months

without pay on account of ill health.

1878: Removed by the Board as Superintendent of the

Jan. 5 Bureau of Design of the N. Y. Dept. of Public

Parks, on alleged grounds of economy, it being

stated in the resolution of removal that his services

might later be availed of as necessary. The conclusion

of a long and harassing political persecution.

Jan. 8 Sailed for Europe for four months, where he

travelled about accompanied by J. C. Olmsted.

Places noted as being visited: Birkenhead Park,

London Parks, Bruges Park, The Hague, Amsterdam,

Frankfort, Munich, Venice, Florence, Pisa,

Genoa, Milan, Como, Maggiore, Turin, Macon,

Dijon.

May Commissioners of the Connecticut State Capitol

authorized to consult Mr. Olmsted about laying

out Capitol grounds at Hartford. (Reports in

July and August.)

July Writes Édouard André in regard to his professional

work, mentioning as especially important the

Arboretum at Boston and the Capitol at Washington.

Summer Spent with E. L. Godkin in Cambridge in order to

work out plans for Arboretum with Professors

Gray and Sargent.

Dec’r Memorial for preservation of Niagara Falls in

course of receiving signatures. Charles Eliot Norton

writes to Mr. Olmsted Dec. 23, “Carlyle

signs.”

Articles of agreement between Mr. Olmsted and

the Park Department of Boston in regard to “Back

Bay Park.”

1879: Writes to É. André, “I am doing but little professionally,

Jun. 6 my most important active work being

the Capitol Grounds at Washington.” Work also

on Boston Parks (Back Bay), Arboretum, and

campaign for protection of Niagara Falls.

Summer Lived partly in Brookline and partly with E. L.

Godkin in Cambridge.

Jul. 30 Report on development of Rockaway Point as

amusement resort, following visits earlier in July

to Rockaway and Coney Island.

Aug’t Advice to J. Letchworth, Auburn, N. Y., as to his

country place.

Sep’r Vacation trip to New Brunswick and Quebec.

Oct. 10 Writes to Charles Eliot Norton that he has met

four of the N. Y. State Niagara Commissioners

and the Premier and members of the Council of

Ontario, and his general scheme has been approved.

James T. Gardiner, Director of the State Survey,

had been instructed by joint resolution to see

what measures were expedient for the preservation

of Niagara and to prepare a project and associate

with him Mr. Olmsted. Report published 1880.

Nov’r Deposited check for plan of “Belleview” suburb of

Newark, N. J.

Nov. 3 Visit to Boston, chargeable each one third to

Arboretum, Schlesinger (estate, Brookline), and

Boston Park Department.

Nov. 19-21 Visit to Utica and Albany, chargeable to State

Survey.

Nov. 22 Visit to Washington, chargeable to U. S. Capitol

grounds.

1880: “My business lies now more in Boston than New

York.” Main work still Boston Parks, Capitol at

Washington, and Niagara.

Read at meeting of American Social Science Association,

at Saratoga, paper: A Consideration of the

Justifying Value of a Public Park. (Published

1881.)

Advice as to trees in Jerome Park, Sheepshead Bay

Race Course.

Jul. 14 Asked by C. A. Dana of the New York _Sun_ to write

a series of “a dozen or 20 or 30” articles on the

best private parks, grounds, or estates, in all parts

of the country. Declined.

1881: Numerous visits to North Easton on Memorial

work.

Report for Mount Royal Park printed.

Work for Boston Parks proceeding, including suggestions

for The Improvement of Muddy River.

(Printed.)

Jan’y Professional letterhead:

F. L. Olmsted 209 West 46th St.

J. C. Olmsted New York

Apr. 21 Deposited check from James T. Gardiner for

report on Niagara to State Survey Commission.

Jul. 1 Bill to Montauk Association for advice as to disposition

of cottages in summer colony at Montauk.

Sep. 27 Advice on the forest treatment of Phillips estate at

Beverly, Mass.

1881-1882: Residence mainly in Brookline.

Winter

1882: Reports printed relating to U. S. Capitol at Washington,

Albany State Capitol, and Belle Isle Park,

Detroit.

Feb’y Published: Spoils of the Park with a few leaves

from the deep laden note book of “a wholly unpractical

man,” a reminiscent account of political

interference in the management of Central Park.

Just after this, he wrote to a friend; “You can

have no idea what a drag life had been to me for

three years or more. I did not appreciate it myself

until I began last summer to get better. The

turning point appears to have been an abandonment

of New York.... I have done much hard

and steady work. The pamphlet of which you

speak was mostly written after midnight and did

not prevent me from getting regularly five or six

hours refreshing sleep. I enjoy this suburban

country beyond expression and in fact, the older I

grow, find my capacity for enjoyment increasing.

We have had great trials and agitations in the last

year but the result of the whole has been with all

tranquillizing. I am to turn sixty with two grandsons.”

Nov. 9 Letter to J. C. Olmsted mentions jobs going on:

Washington Capitol, Detroit Park, Boston Parks

(Back Bay and Commonwealth Avenue), Providence

(land subdivision), North Easton (memorial--Ames),

Newport (Easton’s Beach and private

estates), Albany State Capitol, Buffalo and Bridgeport

Parks, Niagara Reservation. Jobs in 1882

also on Boston & Albany R. R. station at Auburndale

(Mass.), Aspinwall Land Company subdivision,

Summit (N. J.) Improvement Association,

Quincy (Mass.) Library, Weld estate at Dedham,

H. H. Hunnewell estate at Wellesley, and for many

other private clients.

1882-1883: In Brookline, at Taylor house on Dudley Street.

Winter

1883: Bought house at 99 Warren Street, Brookline,

which became permanent home and office.

Charles Eliot an apprentice with Mr. Olmsted

(until 1885).

Work going on for Boston Parks and Arboretum,

Detroit Park, U. S. Capitol, Goddard land subdivision

at Providence, Cushing’s Island in Portland

Harbor, Boston and Albany R. R. (stations

at Beacon Street, Allston, Brighton, Faneuil,

Newton, Newtonville, West Newton, Riverside,

Brookline, Reservoir, Chestnut Hill, Newton

Center and Palmer), Massachusetts General Hospital

(McLean) Insane Asylum at Waverly,

Lawrenceville School, Amherst College, and Madison

(now Colgate) University, and many private

clients.

Active assistance to successful conclusion of campaign

for the preservation of Niagara Falls, in

which Mr. Olmsted was interested, with Messrs.

Potter, Dorsheimer, Norton, and others, since

1869.

1884: John Charles Olmsted taken into full partnership.

Firm name: F. L. & J. C. Olmsted.

Participation in campaign for preservation of

Adirondack region.

Work recorded for Amherst College, University

of Vermont, Groton School, Memorial Park at

New London, Boston and Albany Railroad, Town

of Brookline (Aspinwall Avenue region), Brookline

Country Club (drainage), Narragansett Casino

Company. Among others, advice given for estates

at Lenox, Stockbridge, Beverly, Waltham, Mass.

Land subdivisions planned at Chestnut Hill

(Mass.), Newport, Providence, Yonkers, and five

or six other places.

Jan’y “Went with Richardson the architect to Maiden

and determined the site of the proposed memorial

Library.”

Mar. 11 “I expect to leave Friday evening at latest with

my preliminary plan for Belle Isle.”

May 24 Mentions in letter to J. C. Olmsted jobs on Trenton

and Boston parks, Capitol at Washington, Lawrenceville

School, Chestnut Hill, Cypress Street,

and Brookline stations, and visit with McKim to

Stillman place above Sing Sing.

Sep. 23 Wrote to Boston Park Commissioners on lay-out

of a park at West Roxbury (later Franklin Park).

Dec’r Asked to be one of two experts to conduct the first

Civil Service examination in landscape gardening

given by New York Department of Public Parks

for position “superintendent of gardening.”

1885: Work for City of Boston (Back Bay, Wood Island,

West Roxbury Parks, and Massachusetts Avenue),

Town of Brookline (new street lay-out Harvard

Street--Aspinwall Avenue region), Amherst and

Smith Colleges, Groton and Lawrenceville Schools,

Boston and Albany Railroad (Palmer and

Wellesley Hills), McLean Asylum, Cairn Memorial

at North Easton, Billings Library at Burlington,

and fifteen or twenty private clients.

1886: List of clients during the year includes: U. S.

Capitol, Niagara, Stanford University, a Society

at Amherst, Lawrenceville School, Groton School,

McLean Asylum, Newport Hospital (land subdivision),

Rotch Memorial Church, B. & A. Palmer

Station, Brookline Country Club, Boston and

Buffalo Parks, Bridgeport Park, New York Riverside

Park, a half dozen land subdivisions in Brookline

(including Beacon Street region) and Buffalo,

Vanderbilt Tomb, Andrew Carnegie, and about

thirty other private clients.

Report: Notes on the Plan of Franklin Park and

related matters, printed.

Mar. 16 Had just been to Lenox where he had “been advising

a Vanderbilt colony.”

Aug’t Started for California, in connection with proposed

university for Governor Stanford. En route,

visited Minneapolis parks and saw H. W. S. Cleveland

there.

Sep. 29 “Site settled at last” for new University at Palo

Alto.

Sep. 30 In San Francisco and “hope to see the park”

(twenty years after his original design of 1866).

Visit followed by brief report (printed).

Oct. 17 Reached Boston from California.

1887: Work going on especially for Boston and Buffalo

Parks, two land subdivisions in Brookline and one

or two in Buffalo, and Arboretum for Dr. Webb at

Shelburne, Vt. Studies being made for a report on

National Zoo at Washington.

General plan for the improvement of the Niagara

Reservation, by F. L. Olmsted and Calvert Vaux,

printed by the State of New York.

Interested by Professor Sargent in the founding of

_Garden and Forest_, a journal to promote the landscape

art. During the illness of the directing editor

Professor Sargent, Mr. Olmsted undertook much

work in connection with the magazine.

Jan. 26 From Salt Lake City, having visited Black Rock,

Garfield, and Lake Point, writes to C. F. Adams,

President of Union Pacific Railroad in regard to

proposed hotel development at Garfield.

Feb’y Sounded in regard to advice to Canadian Commissioner

of Niagara. (Letter of advice sent in

August.)

Apr. 20 Appointed at a meeting of Board, Department of

Public Parks of New York City, Landscape Architect

Advisory to the Board. Subsequently visits

made and advice given mainly in regard to Morningside

and Riverside Parks. Connection suspended

by Mr. Olmsted, July 1887. General Plan

for Morningside Park, with Calvert Vaux, printed.

Received check July 5, for “consultation as to

Riverside etc. last year.”

Oct’r Trip to California in connection with the development

of Leland Stanford Jr. University.

Dec’r Report in letter to chairman of the Park Commission,

St. Catherine’s, Ontario, for Montebello

Park.

1888: Major public work, for parks of Buffalo and

Rochester, N. Y.; Leland Stanford Jr. University;

park system report (with J. C. Olmsted) for Pawtucket,

R. I. Advice or plans given for Redstone

Mining town, and land subdivisions at Brookline

(Corey Hill), Chestnut Hill, Readville, and Swampscott,

Mass., Newport, R. I., Buffalo, and several

other places, and for proposed hotel at Lake Sunapee;

also for a large number of private estates and

for Groton and Lawrenceville Schools. Requests

for designing two cemeteries refused.

Aug’t Engaged in preliminary discussion of proposed

Biltmore estate for Mr. George W. Vanderbilt, at

Asheville, N. C. Survey begun in October.

1889: Henry Sargent Codman taken into partnership.

Firm name: F. L. Olmsted & Co.

Advice to New York Department of Parks against

Speeding Track in Central Park.

Advice on park matters given to Arlington, Newton,

and Plymouth, Mass., and Providence, R. I.,

besides Boston and Brookline (Muddy River

improvement). Work for Leland Stanford, Groton

School, Leake and Watts Orphan House,

memorial chapel at Falmouth, and B. & A. Wellesley

station; Perry Park (Prospectus 1890) and

Lake Wauconda subdivisions near Denver,

“World’s End” development on Boston Harbor,

numerous other subdivisions, and a large number

of private estates, including “Biltmore”.

Report on Central Park published: Observations

on the Treatment of Public Plantations, prepared

with J. B. Harrison at instance of West Side Improvement

Association, New York City.

Feb. 25 Read paper at Brookline Club: Our Roads and

What They are leading us to.

April Advice to the Governor of Alabama in regard to

State Capitol grounds at Montgomery.

June “Getting figures for marble fountain on Capitol

terrace” at Washington. Also visited Biltmore.

Aug. 6 Addressed as Consulting Landscape Architect,

New York Department of Public Parks.

Sep’r Asked to give his views on sites in New York City

for World’s Columbian Fair, and aided movement

against proposed location in Central Park.

Nov’r Advice to Lynn (Mass.) Park Commissioners in

regard to Lynn Woods. (Report on this subject

printed 1892.)

Dec’r Advice to Newburgh on Downing Park. Calvert

Vaux associated on report.

Earl of Meath suggested that Mr. Olmsted go to

London to advise Meath’s commission on the

beautifying of the old burial grounds of London.

1890: “My office is much better equipped and has more

momentum than ever before.” “I am at this time

(with my partners) the landscape architect of

twenty works of considerable importance, that is

to say, I do not include in that ordinary private

grounds. Nine of these twenty are large public

parks of cities; two, government works; three,

works of commercial corporations; one, of a benevolent

corporation, and six, private undertakings

of such character as to make them matters of

public interest, operations on them being systematically

reported in the newspapers.” (The

works of commercial corporations alluded to were

land subdivisions, and the cities to which advice

on park matters had been rendered particularly at

this time included Boston,--Marine and Wood

Island Park reports printed 1890,--Rochester,

New York City, Wilmington, and Hartford. The

most important private work was Biltmore, the

new Vanderbilt estate at Asheville, N. C, the

remainder mentioned being other Vanderbilt,

Rockefeller and Twombly estates.)

Collection of United States Sanitary Commission

Papers arranged by Mr. Olmsted, and presented

by him with an introductory statement (printed),

to the Loyal Legion of Boston.

Issued leaflet in regard to the Yosemite: Governmental

Preservation of Natural Scenery.

June Report: Project of Operations for the Improvement

of the Forest of Biltmore, sent Mr. Vanderbilt.

July Consulted by Superintendent of West Point as to

course to be pursued in future development of

West Point.

Aug’t In Chicago reporting on a site for the World’s

Fair.

Dec’r Advice to Marblehead on proposed shore road.

1891: Deposited check for services on National Zoological

Jan. 16 Park.

Jan. 20 Writes to Frederick Kingsbury: “Our Southern

circuit includes, or has recently included, Richmond,

Montgomery, Knoxville, Nashville and

Louisville [parks]. In the far West we have works

in progress, two in Colorado and one in California.

Altogether I have to do a great deal of long journeying

... but personal activity on the ground

... is the part of the work I can least turn over

to my partners.” As to the Biltmore estate, he

says: “I have been giving it practical form and

have each division of the scheme in operation.”

The other Vanderbilt commissions are mentioned,

then:--“Our business is constantly increasing and

in such a way that it is impossible to get the additional

assistants for it, being of a class of which

there are but few accomplished in the world; so

we are always personally under an agitating pressure

and cloud of anxiety. The most serious point

just now is Chicago” (World’s Fair). Chicago

and Biltmore claimed the major part of his time.

He also gave personal attention to the site of the

Soldiers’ Memorial Arch at Concord, N. H., to

Presque Isle at Marquette, Mich., and to the

Rochester Parks.

March Invited by the Brooklyn Park Commissioners to

examine the plantations in Prospect Park.

Oct’r Advice to Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, suggesting

“certain general principles as to future management.”

Nov’r Letter to Mr. Newlands on subdividing property

in Washington, D. C, and streets in the new

Connecticut Avenue district.

1892: Consulted by the United States Government on

the development of the reservation at Hot Springs,

Ark.

March Trip from Biltmore to Knoxville to Louisville to

Chicago to Rochester to Boston.

Apr. 2 Sailed for Europe for rest, accompanied by Philip

Codman, F. L. Olmsted, Jr., and Marion Olmsted.

Illness while abroad prevented his doing much

travelling for professional study himself, although

he moved somewhat about England and France.

He directed the studies of his pupils Philip Codman

and F. L., Jr., with constant interest, and he was

able to make a study of pleasure boating on the

Thames as a basis for the scheme of water activities

on the Lagoons of the World’s Fair, subsequently

carried out.

Jun. 16 In a letter to his office from England, he asks after

the following jobs: World’s Fair, Louisville, Marquette,

Whitelaw Reid, Twombly, and Newport.

Jul. 30 Writes his partner, Harry Codman: “I assume

that very soon after my return it will be desirable,

extremely desirable, that I should take a very long

railroad journey, Rochester, Chicago, Louisville,

Kansas City (parks), Biltmore, Atlanta and

various places nearer home. I did not mention

Milwaukee and Marquette.”

Oct. 11 In Chicago on World’s Fair business, having just

returned from Europe. He feels the need for

opening a Western office and mentions being about

to leave for Kansas City.

Oct. 21 Present at the Dedication Ceremonies of the

World’s Fair and received one of the special

medals “struck in recognition of the services of the

Architects, Artists and Designers of the World’s

Columbian Exposition ... the first time in the

history of the country that such services have been

publicly recognized.”--Letter of invitation from

D. H. Burnham.

Nov’r At Biltmore for conference with Mr. Vanderbilt.

Mentions in a letter to J. C. Olmsted that he feels

“guilty of neglect of Boston work.”

1893: Report printed on the occupation of the new site

for Columbia College (New York), by F. L. O.

and W. R. Ware.

Article on Mr. Olmsted by Mrs. Van Rensselaer

published in the _Century Magazine_ with Mr. Olmsted’s

consent and based on information which he

mainly furnished.

Jan’y Sudden death of Harry Codman, on whom Mr.

Olmsted had “thrown a good deal” of the World’s

Fair work, made it necessary for Mr. Olmsted “to

jump in and shoulder the Chicago work with others

for a time, and so manage them that with good

luck nobody complained and I was even myself

not extremely dissatisfied with the results.”

Feb’y Charles Eliot taken into partnership with F. L.

Olmsted & Co. On March 15 the firm name was

changed to Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot.

Feb. 17 Writes to J. C. Olmsted that he considers of major

importance the following jobs: Boston parks,

Boston Metropolitan parks (brought in by Charles

Eliot), Columbian Exposition, Biltmore estate,

Bay Ridge Parkway in Brooklyn, the parks in

Louisville, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Rochester,

Buffalo, the two Newport places, Lenox, Monmouth

County place, N. J. He adds “I wish that

we could drop the three last and everything else.”

... “I do think that we shall have to decide on

throwing up a lot of our business. I am not to be

depended on (Mr. Olmsted was then nearly seventy-one

years old).... Common prudence requires

that you should lay out your course not counting

on me.” From this time on Mr. Olmsted declined

personal responsibility for all private work, counting

Biltmore because of its magnitude a semi-public

undertaking.

Mar. 23 A guest of honor at the dinner[2] given to D. H.

Burnham and other artists of the World’s Columbian

Exposition by fellow architects and the City

of New York. During the speaking Charles Eliot

Norton said: “Of all American artists, Frederick

Law Olmsted, who gave the design for the laying-out

of the grounds of the World’s Fair, stands first

in the production of great works which answer the

needs and give expression to the life of our immense

and miscellaneous democracy.” Mr. Burnham

said: “Each of you knows the name and genius of

him who stands first in the heart and confidence of

American artists, the creator of your own parks

and many other city parks. He it is who has been

our best adviser and common mentor. In the highest

sense he is the planner of the Exposition--Frederick

Law Olmsted. No word of his has fallen

to the ground among us since first he joined us

some thirty months ago. An artist, he paints with

lakes and wooded slopes; with lawns and banks and

forest-covered hills; with mountain-sides and

ocean views. He should stand where I do to-night,

not for his deeds of later years alone, but for what

his brain has wrought and his pen has taught for

half a century.”

Apr. 10 Slept in Cleveland to break the journey to Chicago

(has had to give up sleeping on the train) and

writes to J. C. O. “you might send me also the

Harvard College map. I may have a chance to

study it and be prepared for discussion with Eliot.”

June LL.D. degree from Harvard and LL.D. also from

Yale. The Harvard degree was conferred by

President Eliot in the following words: _Fredericum

Law Olmsted, qui, ruris specie in urbes introducta,

casas pauperum, domus feliciorum, ædificia publica,

exornavit, æque saluti et delectationi civium omnium

consuluit._

Sep’r Charles Eliot “is now in the West as my alternate

for various professional consultations with Milwaukee,

Louisville, Kansas City, and other corporations.

John travels less than the rest of us,

being in direction of the office in which there are

fifteen to twenty draughtsmen and clerks, the

preparation of work for whom over-fully occupies

him. I have come to greatly dread traveling....

I suppose that as long as I live I shall be forced to

make long journeys to meet Boards, Legislative

Committees, etc., as, although the young men may

be my superiors, they cannot testify with the

weight of experience that I bring.”

Oct. 18 Writes back to his office about the Hot Springs matter

(on which there had been government misunderstanding)

while on “a bad piece of Richmond

and Danville R. R.” on his way to Biltmore.

Oct. 24-Nov. At Biltmore “mainly engaged on the Arboretum.”

20

Nov. 23 At Atlanta in connection with the proposed Cotton

Exposition, at the instance of Mr. Joel Hurt.

Dec. 30 Formal letter to Mr. Vanderbilt about the Biltmore

Arboretum, outlining general matured scheme and

enclosing the announcement printed in the _Lyceum_

in 1891 regarding the Arboretum.

A list of the firm’s public clients includes the following

not mentioned by Mr. Olmsted in letters just

quoted: College of N. J. (Princeton), Wilmington

Park Commission, Trinity College, U. S. National

Zoological Park at Washington, and Kirkwood

Land Company, Atlanta.

1894: Reports, by Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, on Cambridge

parks and Charles River Embankment

printed.

Jan’y In Cincinnati on park work.

Feb’y Advising on Brooklyn Park. Last of the month

in Biltmore.

March Visited Chicago South Parks and Milwaukee en

route to Louisville. Wrote to J. C. O. that it is

very desirable to make the firm favorably known

in the South and “extend its connection.”

May Again in Biltmore.

Sep’r Advice to Town of Brookline “on main roads and

public reservations in that part of Brookline

bounded by Boylston St., Chestnut St., Goddard

Ave., and Clyde St.” (printed.)

Nov’r-Dec’r The Olmsted family at Biltmore.

1895: At Biltmore. The last of May he left with his

Feb’y-May family to come North, leaving his son F. L. O.,

Jr., as his professional representative.

Spring Portrait painted outdoors at Biltmore by John

Singer Sargent.

June-July In Brookline. Some fragments of manuscript on

the Hartford parks about this time were probably

his last professional writings except letters of

advice to F. L. O., Jr., at Biltmore in regard to the

Summer and Fall work there.

Aug’t-Oct’r At Deer Isle, Maine, the family’s summer home,

resting.

Sep’r Retired from professional practice.

Nov’r Sailed for England with Mrs. Olmsted, F. L. O.,

Jr., and Marion Olmsted.

Dec’r Wrote to F. L. O., Jr., in another part of England,

as to plants, deer, etc. for Biltmore. Shortly after

this his mind failed, after nearly forty years of

active professional work.

1903:

Aug. 28 Died.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The entries marked “J. O.” are from the diary of his father, Mr.

John Olmsted, who kept a most careful and accurate record of the doings

and movements of his family.

[2] A full account of the dinner is given in Vol. 1 of _D. H.

Burnham_, by Charles Moore, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1921.

PART II. EARLY EXPERIENCES

THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HIS LATER CAREER

PART II. EARLY EXPERIENCES

THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HIS LATER CAREER

CHAPTER I

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL PASSAGES

Of the early influences and experiences which contributed to Mr.

Olmsted’s unconscious preparation for his later professional practice,

we have fortunately a considerable record. Towards the close of

the seventies, when he was harried beyond measure by the New York

politicians, he set down some fragmentary autobiographical notes as the

first part of an intended book reviewing American social and political

conditions.

In a little prefatory note, he says:

... I offer a small contribution of individual experience towards

the history of the latter half of the first century of the American

republic,--the period in which the work of the railroad, the electric

telegraph, the ocean steamship, the Darwinian hypothesis, and of

Universal suffrage began; in which what is called the temperance

reformation and the abolition of slavery have occurred; in which

millions of people have been concentrating at New York, Philadelphia,

Boston, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco,

while rural neighborhoods in New England, Virginia, the Carolinas and

Georgia have been rapidly losing population and still more rapidly

losing various forms of wealth and worth.

The book was never written, but he preserved such pages of manuscript

as he found time to scribble off,--often at night when the strain of

his bitter fight for the right development of the Central Park left

him sleepless and when he turned with relief to the recollections of a

simple and harmonious social group.

PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF AN UNPRACTICAL MAN

His teachers are the people, books, animals, plants, stones and earth

round about him.--PHILIP GILBERT HAMERTON.

My father was well fitted to live only in a highly organized community

in which man’s stint is measured out to him according to his strength.

As the world is going he was perhaps as fortunately placed in this

respect as he well could be. Yet the world was driving along so fast

that he lived in perplexity between his self-distrust and disposition

to acquit himself fully in his proper part, and the supposed demands of

Society, Religion and Commerce.

The affectations by which he aimed to hide his unreadiness were so

transparent and his real qualities had so little of brilliancy that he

passed with others, even with many of his friends, for a man of much

less worth, ability and attainments than he was.

If one had said to my father that he was highly sensitive to beauty he

would have straightened himself, coughed and bridled like a girl, in

the desire to accept flattery with becoming deprecation and admission.

And he would probably soon after try to justify the compliment by

referring admiringly to something which he thought had the world’s

stamp of beauty upon it, quite possibly something which, but for the

stamp, would be odious to him.

He rarely talked even in his family on matters at all out of the

range of direct and material domestic interests, and in a company

where lively conversation was going on, would sit silent and even

answer questions unfrankly and with evident discomfort. Yet though his

communion with others was never wordy, a decided companionship was

always necessary to his comfort, and his silence was never churlish.

His sensitiveness to the beauty of nature was indeed extraordinary,

judging from the degree in which his habits were affected by it; for he

gave more time and thought to the pursuit of this means of enjoyment

than to all other luxuries, and more than any man I have known who

could not and would not talk about it or in any way make a market of it.

My mother died while I was so young that I have but a tradition of

memory rather than the faintest recollection of her. While I was a

small schoolboy if I was asked if I remembered her I could say “Yes;

I remember playing on the grass and looking up at her while she sat

sewing under a tree.” I now only remember that I did so remember her,

but it has always been a delight to me to see a woman sitting under a

tree, sewing and minding a child.

My [step-]mother’s character was simpler than my father’s, but she also

had a strong love of nature and her taste was more cultivated and had

more of her own respect.

My father when a young man was fond of riding and before I could be

trusted alone on a horse was in the habit of taking me sitting on a

pillow before him. While still very young I rode by his side.

The happiest recollections of my early life are the walks and rides I

had with my father and the drives with my father and [step-]mother in

the woods and fields. Sometimes these were quite extended, and really

tours in search of the picturesque. Thus before I was twelve years

old I had been driven over the most charming roads of the Connecticut

Valley and its confluents, through the White Hills and along most of

the New England coast from the Kennebeck to the Naugatuck. We were

our own servants, my father seldom fully trusting strangers in these

journeys with the feeding, cleaning or harnessing of his horses. We

rested long in pleasant places; and when at noon we took the nags out

and fed them by the roadside, my father, brother and I would often

wander far looking for a bathing place and an addition of fresh wild

berries for the picnic dinner which my mother would have set out in

some well-selected shady place.

I had also before I was twelve traveled much with my father and mother

by stage coach, canal and steamboat, visiting West Point, Trenton

Falls, Niagara, Quebec, Lake George.

I recollect less of any enjoyment I may then have had than of my

impression of the enjoyment my father and mother constantly found in

scenery. Yet they could have talked little of it, both being of silent

habits; and I am sure that they did not analyze, compare and criticise.

These reflections rise naturally when I review the conditions of my

education, for although I was much separated from my father and few

men have less aptness, inclination or ability than he had to give oral

instruction, I see that the unpremeditated and insensible influence

which came to me from him was probably the strongest element in my

training. I see also that my father may have unwittingly disclosed

to me more of his nature than to any one else. One of two or three

incidents that remain in my mind will show what I mean. On a Sunday

evening we were crossing the meadows alone. I was tired and he had

taken me in his arms. I soon noticed that he was inattentive to my

prattle and looking in his face saw in it something unusual. Following

the direction of his eyes, I said: “Oh! there’s a star.” Then he said

something of Infinite Love with a tone and manner which really moved

me, chick that I was, so much that it has ever since remained in my

heart.

Brought up in a superstitious faith in preaching and didactic

instruction, and knowing how little he could by deliberate purpose do

for me in that way, my father’s affection and desire to “do right by

the boy” made him always eager to devolve as much as practicable of the

responsibility of my education upon ministers.

I was placed successively in charge of six ministers. That this was not

a choice of schoolmasters appears from the fact that while living with

three of them I was, with my father’s knowledge, sent out by them to

day schools--twice to the common school--and that only one himself gave

me regular instruction. In every case, too, I was for the most part

turned over for what is commonly called religious instruction to Sunday

school teachers,--that is to say, vain, ignorant and conceited big boys

and girls,--parrots or quacks at the business.

The first of these ministers, who became my father by deputy when I was

but six years old, was the pastor of a thoroughly rural parish. The

surface of the country was rugged, the soil, except in small patches,

poor; the farms consequently large and the settlement scattered; there

was one little general store at which the weekly mail was distributed;

there was no public house, but near the meetinghouse some cabins had

been built with fireplaces made of field stone in which families who

came from far could get warm and eat their snack between the Sunday

services. (I think Sunday was then called Sunday and that the fashion

of calling it Sabbath came in afterwards or had not yet reached this

place.)

The accumulation of results of labor in several generations was chiefly

conspicuous in the stone walls which divided the fields.

I suppose that the large family in which I lived, enjoyed more luxury

than any other, but I doubt if, one year with another, four hundred

dollars in money passed its hands. Every household, however, was

self-supporting and none so needy that it would not resent an offer

of gratuitous assistance unless it were in such neighborly kindness

as the poorest might offer the richest. There was a single family of

vagabond habits who sometimes came to the store and bartered small

peltry chiefly for tobacco and rum, and once when they had done so

betook themselves to a Sunday house and shut themselves up in it for

a deliberate drunk. But even this family which was distinguished and

prayed for as “the poor” kept up at least a profession of supporting

themselves honestly. They probably owned the cabin they lived in and a

small piece of mountain land about it. If not, I think they were the

only family that did not own some land and till it.

Every one made long days’ work; the parson was diligent and traveled

far every week on his pastoral duties. He worked with his own hands

a little farm from which the family living was helped out. He kept

a horse and cow. He entertained a good deal of company,--agents of

benevolent societies and traveling preachers as well as family friends,

parishioners and the families of neighboring ministers; but he had

no hired man servant and the only maid was a young girl, probably a

relative of his wife’s who often sat at the table with us and before I

left was married, perhaps to another minister. There was another pupil,

a big boy who was reading Greek with the parson and who paid for his

tutorship by helping in the farm work. On the parson’s little farm we

had cows and swine and sheep, turkeys, geese, fowls and bees. Besides

the commoner farm crops, we raised flax and spun it. We had an orchard

and sent apples to a neighboring cider mill. I remember seeing the

parson grafting scions into the trees. I remember also the beating a

pan when the bees swarmed, helping to pick the geese, helping to wash

the sheep, setting up the martin box, going with yarn to the weavers,

helping to make soap and to dip candles.

It seems to me that while I was here, though only six years old, I was

under no more constraint than a man; that I went where I liked, did

what I liked and, especially, that I had a hand in everything that was

going on in the neighborhood. When I saw other boys going barefoot, I

threw away my shoes and was no more required to wear them except on

Sundays. Every house, every room, every barn and stable, every shop,

every road and highway, every field, orchard and garden was not only

open to me but I was everywhere welcome. With all their hard-working

habits no one seemed to begrudge a little time to make life happy to

such a bothering little chap as I must have been. Such a thing as my

running into danger even from bad company would seem not to have been

thought of.

I remember very distinctly wandering off by myself in the evening to

the store and sitting there listening to such talk as happened; going

to look in at the window of the Sunday house to see the drunken poor

folks; going with boys to smoke out woodchucks from their burrows, to

get rabbits in winter out of stone walls, to trap mink in steel traps

and quail in figure-four traps. I remember going with rye to the grist

mill, riding on the sacks behind some man or bigger boy; going at night

to see a charcoal burning and then eating potatoes baked in ashes. I

am often reminded of the odor that filled the air. Spending a day and

night at a distant sugar camp and then sleeping in a wigwam of bark.

Making pastoral visits to sick people with uncle,--so I called him

though he was no family relation. I remember when a man came to say

that a sick child was dead, and to get the key of the meetinghouse. I

went with him and saw him strike three strokes on the iron triangle

which hung suspended by strips of cowhide from the beams of the belfry

by which the tidings were sent to all within hearing; and immediately

women began to come from all directions to show their sympathy to the

stricken parents. The loss of a single little child stirred every heart

in every household. We were dismissed early from school next day and

went to see the coffin made.

I remember seeing the boards stained with a red wash and varnished.

We saw the grave dug and helped to take out the bier and dingy pall

from the little house in the graveyard where they were kept. We walked

in the funeral procession. I remember the parson’s reading the usual

notice in meeting the next Sunday. “It having pleased God to remove

by death the infant child of Reuben and Rebecca Wilson, the afflicted

parents, with the aged grandmother, the surviving children and other

relatives ask the prayers of the congregation that this bereavement may

be blessed to their spiritual and eternal good.” As each class of the

mourners was designated, they stood up in their pew, and many of the

women looking on had tears in their eyes. I remember that I wondered

why uncle did not pray that the child should be raised at once and

brought back to her parents, and I tried it myself when I went to bed.

I remember being taken up by a sleighing party and driven far by

moonlight to a large house where I saw flip made by the kitchen fire;

saw the parson’s girl drink it and be merry; saw romping games played

around the great chimney and when finally I fell asleep, I was put to

bed to be taken home in the midst of a furious snowstorm in the bitter

morning by one of the boys who treated me to an upset in a snow-drift.

I don’t quite see how the people old and young--even the

drunkard--could be on such good terms with the parson as it seems to me

they were. I certainly have seen nothing like it since. I think that

the temperance reformation was just beginning and my uncle preached

and prayed in the meeting, in the school and in the family against

intemperance, but total abstinence was not yet insisted on. The

Anti-slavery agitation had not arisen. Divisions on these two questions

I understand were afterwards so bitter that half the congregation

refused to come to meeting or to contribute to the support of the

minister, who finally was obliged to ask for a dismissal on account of

the extreme privations to which his family became reduced.

I learned to read in a little brown schoolhouse on the bank of a brook

in the midst of the woods. I remember chestnut, hemlock, birch and

alder trees about it and near by thickets of mountain laurel. The brook

must have been a small one for we made a pool by damming it, into which

we put little trout and frogs that we caught with our hands, and from

which we filled the drink-water pail of the school. The ground was

strewn with rocks and the brook made a crooked way among them with

much babbling. I remember beds of fragrant mint along its banks and of

pennyroyal on the drier roadside. Here too, by an old stone fence we

drew out sassafras roots and in a marshy place at the foot of the hill

we pulled the sweetflag root from the black mire.

The narrow road passed on the other side of the schoolhouse and

sometimes, when wheels were heard approaching, our mistress would stop

short and cry: “Your elders are coming. Make your manners! Make your

manners!” and we hastened to stand in line at the roadside, the boys

to bow, the girls to courtesy. Even when at play and out of sight of

the schoolhouse the boys would stop and take off their hats if any much

older person came near. We were eager to do it, which perhaps is to be

accounted for by the fact that we saw so few people, and that no man

would be in such haste or so absorbed in other duties that he could not

acknowledge the courtesy and smile or say a pleasant word to us.

I was a favorite with the mistress. When she was married and was

starting for the Western Reserve in a chaise with a horse-hide trunk,

studded with brass nails, hung on behind, she stopped at our house to

see me. She cried a little when she kissed me. Did I cry also? I think

not.

I dimly recall much more that was quaint, and that it is harder to

believe in, of the habits and customs of the parish, but I recall

nothing that was not kindly or that I do not thoroughly respect.

One of the most incredible of my recollections is that of the serious

and respectful interest taken by all classes of the people in the

annual spring parade of the militia, and first that the drummer should

have come to the parson for advice as he did weeks beforehand in regard

to the drum head. Its renewal and the manner of it being determined,

I went with a squad to a distant currier’s where a sheep skin was

selected, bargained and paid for in seed potatoes. After it had been

prepared and mounted, the drummer and fifer practiced at the store

every night, Sundays excepted, until the day of the muster.

On the Sunday before, some of the officers appeared at meeting in

partial uniform. It was questioned at dinner whether this was a good

custom; whether it did not minister more to personal vanity than to any

good. The parson, however, regarded it as a suitable mark of respect to

the house of God and remarked that the military arm of the republic had

no strength except in its dependence on the Almighty. The approaching

occasion was remembered in his prayers.

When the day came and the long roll was beaten in front of the

meetinghouse, about fifty true yeomen[3] fell in and answered to their

names. Nearly all wore parts of what had once been uniforms. Very few

were without a black and red plume bound on the left side of their

hats. The privates all had muskets, but I have an impression that the

non-commissioned officers or some of them carried lances or halberds.

The commissioned officers were in full military suits, not that these

had been made to fit them, for I think that they had been obtained

for a consideration from their predecessors and dated back to the

last war. They had swords and enormous _chapeau bras_ with plumes and

also wore leather stocks and silk sashes. The company was drilled,

marched, counter-marched, dismissed for dinner, reassembled and, at

length, late in the day, a sergeant with a guard of honor was sent to

the parsonage and the minister escorted to the ground. On his arrival

he was duly saluted by the Company which then formed in hollow square,

the minister, commissioned officers, “music” and the Company flag in

the centre. The minister delivered a short discourse, made a long

prayer and, after being thanked by the Captain, was re-escorted to the

parsonage. There were few inhabitants of the parish, old or young,

who were not present at this ceremony, as many as possible standing,

men and boys with their hats removed, on the long wooden steps of the

meetinghouse at the foot of which the square had been formed.

The Company being again brought into line the Captain said a few words

of compliment, closing nearly as follows:

“You are now about to be dismissed for the day and I hope that nothing

will occur after the dismissal which will lessen the respect which your

exemplary conduct, while under military discipline, has been calculated

to inspire in the hearts of the ladies. I will only add that after the

dismissal I shall give a treat at the north Sunday house which you are

all heartily invited to partake of.” Here a private stepped out and

called for three cheers for Captain Fowler, which were given, the drum

rolling and the flag waving.

In the Sunday house, pitchers, glasses, and plates of crackers, cheese

and gingerbread were set out and under their influence, the earnestness

which had so far characterized the proceedings gave way to a certain

temperate degree of hilarity, forced and creaking.

After supper a drum and fife concert concluded the solemn patriotic

festival, the last piece performed being Old Hundred.

I do not know whether it was before or after this that I spent several

months with my uncle at Geneseo, where I remember being taken to see

Indians making baskets, to visit at a house in the dooryard of which

there was a fawn and at which a beautiful woman gave me sweetmeats, and

that I was sometimes driven rapidly and silently over the turf of the

bottom lands among great trees.

I was for months again the smallest boy among sixty at a boarding

school, where I was placed under the special care of another clergyman,

of whom I remember nothing after my father and mother drove away. Here

I suffered in many cruel ways, and I still carry the scars of more

than one kind of the wounds I received. I was taken away suddenly when

one of the big boys wrote to his father, who sent the letter to mine,

that a teacher had lifted me up by my ears and had so pinched one of

them that it bled. My father had not thought of taking me away when I

wrote--I think it must have been in my first letter to him--that there

had been a revival in the school; that I had experienced religion, that

I had had a prayer party in my bedroom to pray for his conversion and

that I wished him to read a certain tract, the title of which I forget.

After this I lived for six months or more at home. But home with

me had many branches, for there were no less than ten households

of grandparents, granduncles and uncles in which, for all that I

recollect, I was as welcome and intimate and as much at home as if

I had been born to them. My father’s grandfather had five sons, all

of whom had, I think, been seafaring men before the revolution. One

had sailed in a letter of marque, was taken prisoner and died in the

hulk at the Wallabout; another who was more successful than the rest

in acquiring wealth and honors was carried to a peaceful grave before

my day. Another was over ninety years old when I was born. I dimly

recollect him, living in a large, rambling old farm house, of which

he was the only occupant except his housekeeper. The fourth was also

over ninety when I rode his knee. He had served the young republic both

on sea and land and was the hero of a very daring and shrewd exploit,

having, with three American seamen and two negroes whom he compelled

to assist him, recaptured a valuable prize vessel on the high seas and

brought her safely in. They were all infirm from wounds and rheumatism

and I remember my grandfather out of his arm chair but once. He then

walked a little way with me in a warm spring day, supporting himself

with a long Malacca cane, which I now own, held with both hands.

Leaning against a fence he pointed out a hang-bird’s nest in one of a

row of elms near us and then told me that he had helped his father to

plant the trees, describing how small they were at the time. I wanted

my father to let me help him plant trees and he did, but they were not

placed with sufficient forecast and have since all been cut down. But

great-grandfather’s trees stand yet and the hang-birds yet have their

home in them.

Then I lived for a few months chiefly with my grandmother, going

irregularly to a village school, but being educated more I think

through some old novels, plays and books of travels that I found

in a sea chest in her garret. I actually read at this time much of

Zimmerman on _Solitude_, Sterne’s _Sentimental Journey_ and the _Vicar

of Wakefield_. I have the same volumes now, and I never have such a

puzzling sense of double life as when I see some of Coleman’s plays on

the stage.

I suppose these readings developed the talent which I must have

temporarily possessed two or three years later, when I could hire other

boys to do my chores by telling them stories,--no doubt but partially

of my own invention.

Then I spent nearly five years, vacations excepted, in the home of a

minister who undertook, with God’s help, to bring up four select pupils

in the fear of the Lord, making no distinction between them and his own

children. For their accommodation he had bought and moved a small, old

country store alongside the parsonage proper, in the cellar of which

he stowed cabbages and roots, on the ground floor had a work-shop and

harness room, and in the second story the boys’ beds, desks and benches.

The clapboards were warped and shackling and the winter pressed us

hard. The heating apparatus was a sheet-iron stove, if I am not

mistaken made by the parson himself. The parson’s salary was nominally

$500 a year but the people being poor and money scarce he took much of

it in “produce”--firewood, for instance, which was invariably delivered

when the sledding was good and mostly in logs. As soon as winter came,

the duty was put on me to keep up the fire one day in four, and to

provide wood I had to cut and split these logs, using a beetle and

wedges for the larger ones; then carry the wood to the school and up

stairs--all in play-time--make the fire before day and keep it up till

bedtime. I was eight years old and small of my age.

The parsonage had a small back kitchen in which there was a wooden

sink; outside the door stood an open water butt with a spigot at the

bottom. After we had dressed by lamplight in the morning and perhaps

broken a path through the snow to “the other house,” we opened the back

kitchen door and in turn drew water in a cast-iron skillet about six

inches in diameter out of which with the aid of home-made soft soap,

held at a corner of the sink in a gourd, we washed our hands and faces.

A roller towel hung upon the wall for the use of all the family. On

Saturday night, hot water was furnished us and we were expected to wash

our ears, neck and feet. Our meals were eaten in the kitchen and here,

on the bare floor, we twice a day kneeled in prayers.

The parson’s son, a weakly boy who afterwards died of consumption,

lived in the house with the family. The four boarder boys had the

“store” all to themselves except in school hours.

They were kept in order in this way: At irregular intervals, when they

were expected to be studying their lessons, the parson came to the

foot of the stairs, took off his shoes, crept softly up and stood with

his ear at the latch. If there was no disorder, he slipped down again

and we perhaps knew nothing of his visit. If I was telling a story--my

stories were generally of “run-aways”--the parson waited until I

reached a situation of interest, when he would break in shouting

“Oh! the depravity of human nature!” and seizing a ruler, a stick of

firewood or a broom handle, go at us all pellmell over the head and

shoulders.

* * * * *

A later biographical fragment, probably written in the nineties,

carries on the story of Mr. Olmsted’s education.

FOOTNOTES:

[3] Mr. Olmsted was fond of the word “yeoman.” This was the signature

he used for his Southern letters to the Times.

HINTS

AIDFUL TO ELEMENTARY SELF-EDUCATION IN

DESIGN

IN THE COMMON FIELDS OF LANDSCAPE GARDENING PROPER.

BY F. L. O.

Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects and of the

Boston Society of Architects; Author of a Journey in Texas, etc.

PREFACE

Something accrues from special attention continuously directed for many

years to a particular field of observation and reflection, giving a

value to counsel about it that would not be allowed on the ground of

native talent or learning on the part of the counsel-giver.

Partly for this reason I propose, by way of introduction, to give at

this point some account of my life.

But partly also I propose to do so from regard to a disposition

generally prevalent to underrate the value of professional or bookish

counsel on the subject of this book. This disposition grows largely out

of an impression that the courses by which men come to set themselves

up as professional advisers on this subject or to write books upon

it are, like those of students in a school, of a kind to withdraw

them in a great degree from nature and from the ordinary life of men,

consequently from a ready, sympathetic understanding of their wants;

that these courses tend to pervert their natures, lessen freedom of

mind, restrain healthy impulses and make them creatures of rules and

conventions. This impression is the deeper because of the influence

unconsciously acting from an old idea associated with the word garden,

the essence of gardening having been withdrawal from nature and

restriction to artificial conditions. (_Garden_, _girdle_ and _girth_

are from the same root--signifying constraint.) A Gardener is thought

of as a man working in accommodation to artificial restrictions.

Many times something expressive of this idea has been plainly said to

me or possibly said of me and of my advice and work. Hundreds of times

a prejudice of mind of this nature has been apparent in those seeking

my counsel.

I hope the slight account I propose to give of myself may cause what is

to follow after it to be read with less prejudice of this kind than it

might otherwise be.

I can see that my pleasure began to be affected by conditions of

scenery at an early age,--long before it could have been suspected by

others from anything that I said and before I began to mentally connect

the cause and effect of enjoyment in it. It occurred too, while I was

but a half-grown lad, that my parents thought well to let me wander as

few parents are willing their children should.

Within thirty miles of where they lived there were a score of houses

of their kindred and friends at which I was always welcome. They were

mostly farm houses and had near them interesting rivers, brooks,

meadows, rocks, woods or mountains, those less rural had pleasant old

gardens. Of the people two only shall be referred to particularly. One

a poor scholar who, after a deep affliction, lived in seclusion with no

occupation but that of reading good old books to which he had formed an

attachment in happier days. One of his favorite authors was Virgil, and

he took pleasure in reading and translating him to me. He was quaintly

mild, courteous and ceremonious, of musing, contemplative habits, and

in these and other respects so different from most men whom I knew

that, as he commanded my respect and affectionate regard, I recognize

him to have had a notable influence in my education.

The other had inherited a moderate competence and been brought up to

no regular calling. He lived in an unusually fine old village house

with an old garden, was given to natural science, had a cabinet, a few

works of art and a notable small library. He was shy and absorbed and

I took little from him directly, but he was kind and not so careful

of his treasures that I could not cautiously use them as playthings

and picture books. He introduced me to Isaac Walton. He had no man

servant,--indeed no servants, his handmaids being of the order then

called help, and he was on precisely the terms with them, as it now

seems to me, that he might have been with helpful sisters, though they

did not sit at table with him.

A man came from without the household for the heavier work of the

place, giving but a small part of his time to it, and there was a boy

to do the light chores who received no wages but worked for his board,

books and schooling. One of the boys who thus became my playfellow

afterwards made his way through college, studied law, and came to be a

member of Congress and Governor of a State.

For the rest my kinsmen and friends were plain, busy, thrifty people,

mostly farmers and good citizens.

If in my rambling habits I did not come home at night, it was supposed

that I had strayed to some of these other homes where I would be well

taken care of, and little concern was felt at my absence; but it

several times occurred before I was twelve years old that I had been

lost in woods and finding my way out after sunset had passed the night

with strangers and had been encouraged by my father rather than checked

in the adventurousness that led me to do so.

It was my good fortune also at this period to be taken on numerous

journeys in company with people neither literary, scientific nor

artistic, but more than ordinarily susceptible to beauty of scenery and

who with little talking about it, and none for my instruction, plainly

shaped their courses and their customs with reference to the enjoyment

of it. As a small boy I made four such journeys, each of a thousand

miles or more, two behind my father’s horses, and two mostly by stage

coach and canal boat. Besides these many shorter ones. When fourteen I

was laid up by an extremely virulent sumach poisoning, making me for

some time partially blind, after which, and possibly as a result, I

was troubled for several years with a disorder of the eyes, and the

oculists advised that I should be kept from study.

It followed that, at the time my schoolmates were entering college,

I was nominally the pupil of a topographical engineer[4] but really

for the most part given over to a decently restrained vagabond life,

generally pursued under the guise of an angler, a fowler or a dabbler

on the shallowest shores of the deep sea of the natural sciences.

A hardly conscious exercise of reason in choosing where I should rest

and which way I should be going in these vagrancies, a little musing

upon the question what made for or against my pleasure in them, led me

along to a point at which when by good chance the books fell in my way

I was sufficiently interested to get some understanding of what such

men as Price, Gilpin, Shenstone and Marshall thought upon the subject.

Rural tastes at length led me to make myself a farmer. I had several

years of training on widely separated farms, then bought a small farm

for myself which I afterwards sold in order to buy a larger, and upon

this I lived ten years. I was a good farmer and a good neighbor, served

on the school committee, improved the highways, was secretary of a

local farmer’s club and of the County Agricultural Society, took prizes

for the best crops of wheat and turnips and the best assortment of

fruits, imported an English machine, and in partnership with a friend

established the first cylindrical drainage tile works in America.

But during this period also I managed to make several long and numerous

short journeys, generally paying my expenses by writing on rural

topics for newspapers. As it would have been an extravagance otherwise,

however, I first crossed the Atlantic in the steerage of a sailing

vessel, and nearly always traveled frugally. In all these tours I took

more interest than most travelers do in the arrangement and aspect of

homesteads and generally in what may be called the sceneric character

of what came before me.

The word _sceneric_ flows from my pen unbidden and I venture to let

it stand. Some writers of late are using _scenic_ for the purpose it

serves, but this is confusing, _scenic_ having been so long used with

regard exclusively to affairs of the drama.

All this time interest in certain modest practical applications of

what I was learning of the principles of landscape architecture was

growing with me,--applications, I mean, for example, to the choice of a

neighborhood, of the position and aspect of a homestead, the placing,

grouping and relationships with the dwelling of barns, stables and

minor outbuildings, the planning of a laundry yard and of conveniences

for bringing in kitchen supplies and carrying away kitchen wastes,

for I had found that even in frontier log cabins a good deal was lost

or gained of pleasure according to the ingenuity and judgment used in

such matters; applications also to the seemly position of a kitchen

garden, of a working garden for flowers to be cut for the indoor

enjoyment of them, to fixed outer floral and foliage decorations, to

the determination of lines of outlook and of in-look and the removal

or planting accordingly of trees, screens, hedges, windbreaks and so

on, with some consideration of unity of foreground, middle ground and

background, some consideration for sceneric effect from without as

well as from within the field of actual operations. I planted several

thousand trees on my own land and thinned out and trimmed with my own

hand with reference to future pleasing effects a small body of old

woodland and another of well-grown copse wood.

Never the slightest thought till I was more than thirty years old had

entered my mind of practicing landscape gardening except as any fairly

well-to-do, working farmer may, and in flower gardening or of any kind

of decorative or simply ornamental gardening--any gardening other than

such as I have indicated--I was far from being an adept.

But I gradually came to be known among my neighbors and friends as

a man of some special knowledge, inventiveness and judgment in such

affairs as I have mentioned, and to be called on for advice about

them. At length, growing out of such little repute, I was unexpectedly

invited to take a modest public duty and from this by promotions

and successive unpremeditated steps was later led to make Landscape

Architecture my calling in life....

I have since, partly on professional and partly on other occasions,

continued to travel a great deal.... But a small part of my journeyings

either in the old or the new world have been made by railways. I have

traveled several thousand miles on foot and several thousand in the

saddle and I have had rare opportunities for seeing people of all sorts

in all parts of our land in their homes.

All the time interest in scenery, landscape, landscape architecture,

has been strong with me.

Through these causes and because of the interest I have thus explained

I have been much led into pointed conversations with men and women

under a great variety of circumstances, while looking about their

abodes or while following their chosen paths, roads and waters, with

regard to the pleasure to be had in doing so and with direct reference

to means of enhancing it or getting the better of circumstances

restricting it.

FOOTNOTES:

[4] According to his father’s diary, Frederick began the study of

engineering with Professor Barton of Andover, Mass., November 20, 1837.