Olmsted Archives
Frederick Law Olmsted was the first person to use the title "Landscape Architect" in his work with Calvert Vaux on the 1857 design for Central Park.
In Brookline, Massachusetts, Olmsted and his sons created the first full-scale office for the practice of landscape architecture, including distinct sub-disciplines (engineering, planting department) and developing business methods such as job numbers and graphic standards. In 1899, John Charles Olmsted was the first president of the American Society of Landscape Architecture; Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. also served on the founding board. Many partners were founding fellows of ASLA. In 1900, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and Arthur Shurcliff established the first landscape architecture program at Harvard University; many of the firm's partners taught there. Several early practitioners collaborated with Olmsted or apprenticed in the Olmsted firm. Others, such as Beatrix Farrand, visited the office to learn about best practices. The Olmsted Archives contains records, minutes, photographs and other ephemera related to the early history of the ASLA. |
Last updated: September 20, 2024