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October 22, 2003
For the Love of Olmsted
Forgotten NY has a great new page on Central Park. I love Central Park, particularly because of many of the things that FNY cites-- the many buildings and land markers that were long ago utilitarian and now, well, simply resting spots nestled within acres of NYC's great park.
An interesting tidbit: I knew about many of the things Kevin highlights. No, not from books or New York Road Runner's Club, you have to know about the lamppost markers, the specific fountains, etc., to gage your routes and mileage. Pretty neat.
But what I love most about Central Park is its landscape design, and more specifically, its designer, Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted designed many of my favorite outdoor spaces, including the campus of my alma mater, Smith College, and the grounds of Mclean Hospital(Note: Read Gracefully Insane. Great book and lots of info on the asylums design). Olmsted later became a patient at Mclean.
Some great landscape designs by Olmsted:
Central Park, 1858-1876
Hartford Retreat, 1860
Bloomingdale Asylum, 1862
New York State Asylum for the Insane, 1871
Prospect Park, 1865-1895
Yale, 1874-1881
National Zoological Park, 1890-1906
Smith College, 1891-1909
Bryn Mawr College, 1895-1927
Mt Holyoke College, 1896-1922
Vassar College, 1896-1932
Brown University, 1900-1906
Williams College, 1902-1912
Olmsted was a firm believer of landscape for the people, as well as the restorative qualities that outdoor campuses could provide. I don't think anyone could counter that argument. Prospect Park is my beautiful savior sometimes. I love to get lost in it.
Posted by callalillie at October 22, 2003 9:09 AM |
Landscape for the people? Hardly, he and his partners on the Central Park project explicitly wanted to keep out blacks and Irish, eventhough those groups built the park.
Posted by: josé at October 22, 2003 11:01 AM
That is true, along with the fact that the park was built on top of Seneca Village. I was using "for the people" in a figurative sense-- personal enjoyment, etc. Nearly the entire island of Manhattan was leveled and developed by African Americans, Irish, the poor, and homeless-- and those buildings , particularly during the early settlement and expansion of the city, were strictly for the while upper class "non-immigrant" groups (though, as we all know, everyone in America, save Native Americans, are immigrants-- by choice or forced).
Posted by: callalillie at October 22, 2003 11:25 AM
That a man was a racist in the 1860s shouldn't detract from the racelessness of his creation. Show me one genius who didn't have a despicable side and I'll buy you a granola bar.
If we were to hold our founding daddies to the same standards we have today, we'd have good reason to mulch the Constitution.
To the park!
Why, gladly!
Posted by: Will at October 22, 2003 11:40 AM
Wouldya still buy me a granola bar? I'm hungry.
Posted by: callalillie at October 22, 2003 11:47 AM
Certainly. I'll just take a rain check for the despicable genius.
Posted by: Will at October 22, 2003 12:10 PM
parks are great. just a quick shot out to say hello. miss you
J.
Posted by: Jason at October 22, 2003 2:05 PM
