AMERICA'S GREAT 19TH-CENTURY PARK MOVEMENT
"...one of the more important elements of value in a park, never to be lost sight of in a study of its economies, lies in its power to divert men from unwholesome, vicious, and destructive methods and habits of seeking recreation, and inducing them to educate themselves ..."- Frederick Law Olmsted's 1883 vision for Belle Isle
Frederick Law Olmsted was a leader in the design of showcase parks throughout America in the last half of the 19th century. His work opened to all members of society the opportunity for a restorative experience of nature, through carefully implemented planning and design principles. Cities developed these spaces with premier cultural institutions, such as aquaria, flower conservatories, zoos, and sculptural monuments. It's safe to say that the spaces helped inspire the recreation movement of the beginning of the 20th century. - Janet Anderson
City - Park - Year
Size
Unique features
New York - Central Park (1858)
843 acres
1st Olmsted and 1st showcase park project
Cincinnati - Eden Park (1859)
186 acres
pioneering Melan Arch Bridge; old quarry
Baltimore - Druid Hill Park (1860)
600 acres
oldest municipal conservatory; architectural gateway
Brooklyn - Prospect Park (1865)
526 acres
Long Meadow; Olmsted's favorite park
Philadelphia - Fairmount Park (1867)
5200 acres
1st waterworks; boathouse row
Buffalo - park system (1868)
800 acres
Parkway system with 3 parks; most complete Olmsted plan
Milwaukee - Lakeshore parks (1868)
10 miles
uninterrupted public waterfront
San Diego - Balboa Park (1868)
1400 acres
hosted 2 world Expositions
San Francisco - Golden Gate Park (1870)
1017 acres
completely man-made land
Washington D.C. - The Mall (1870s)
2.5 miles
national monuments and museums
Chicago - Lakeshore parks (1871)
15 miles
"White City" cultural legacy
Saint Louis - Forest Park (1876)
1371 acres
1904 World's Fair buildings
Boston - Emerald Necklace (1877)
7 miles
Boston Common and Garden linked with 7 regional parks and parkways
Detroit - Belle Isle Park (1879)
1003 acres
oldest Aquarium; canal and lake system
New Orleans - City Park(1880s)
1500 acres
neoclassical to art deco architecture
Pittsburgh - Schenley Park (1889)
500 acres
scenic river overlook