Chapter II: 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