Olmsted in Connecticut

Connecticut plays a key role in Frederick Law Olmsted’s legacy. Learn how we are documenting that story.

The year 2022 marked the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. (1822-1903), considered the father of American landscape architecture. Beginning with New York’s Central Park, designed in partnership with Calvert Vaux, Olmsted designed public parks along with campuses, subdivisions, city plans, grounds for public and private institutions, and residential properties, while also advocating for the conservation of natural landscapes. After Olmsted’s retirement, his sons continued to operate his landscape design firm,  designing thousands more places, creating town and city plans, and helping to establish the National Park Service. The Olmsted firm shaped the appearance of America to a degree that almost no one else can claim.

Connecticut plays a key role in the Olmsted story. Frederick Law Olmsted was born and raised in Hartford. The education he received in the state, and early connections forged here, shaped his subsequent career as farmer, journalist, manager, social reformer, and, finally, landscape architect. The Olmsted firm records contain records of nearly 300 projects or prospective projects in the state.

In observance of the Olmsted bicentennial, Preservation Connecticut and the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office teamed up to study the Olmsted heritage and historic Olmsted landscapes in the state, with the help of a consultant team from The Red Bridge Group. The consultants documented 139 Olmsted landscape projects across the state and created a detailed account of the Olmsted firm’s origins and ongoing relationship with Connecticut.

Read the report

Read the Olmsted in Connecticut report for a history of the Olmsted firm’s heritage and works in Connecticut.

Long Hill Wadsworth Estate, Middletown

Institute of Living, Hartford

Seaside Park, Bridgeport

Beacon Falls Rubber Shoe Company subdivision, Beacon Falls

What’s next? 

We’re spreading the word! We intend to make the entire study available online, and are planning a series of events, including talks and tours of historic landscapes. Watch this site for details and stay informed by signing up for our newsletters!

Would you like a staff member to give a talk about the Olmsted heritage and the importance of historic landscapes to your organization? Fill out this form, and we’ll be in touch to schedule an event.

Where can I learn more? 

Olmsted 200

Spearheaded by the National Association of Olmsted Parks, Olmsted 200 highlights topics related to landscape, the enjoyment of the natural environment, urban life, and other themes connected with the life of Frederick Law Olmsted. Visit their website to find out about Olmsted events happening this year.

Olmsted Heritage Trail

Created by the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the online Olmsted Legacy Trail has a brief Connecticut-focused biography of Frederick Law Olmsted, plus thumbnail histories of Olmsted firm landscapes in Connecticut- many of which you can go explore in person.

Questions? 

Contact Chris Wigren, 203.562.6312 x 2 or cwigren@preservationct.org 

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