Last updated: June 11, 2024
Place
Riverside Park (Hartford)
Olmsted Archives
Quick Facts
Building on their father’s plan for Hartford, Connecticut’s system of parks, Olmsted Brothers began work on Riverside Park in 1895. 75-acres along the Connecticut River were meant to provide recreational space for nearby residents. With the assistance of Percival Gallagher, John Charles Olmsted supervised the park’s design.
Like many of their parks in Hartford and across the country, John Charles designed a picturesque landscape of open lawns surrounded by walking paths, overlooking the nearby river. At the center of the park sat Riverside Pond, with tree groves and native shrubs lining the riverbanks, helping to mitigate erosion.
When the park opened in 1899 it followed Olmsted Brothers plan, however, over time the original plan degraded, and is no longer evident. A 24-acre subtraction of land has left Riverside Park nestled between a railroad and an interstate.
Source: "Riverside Park- Hartford," The Cultural Landscape Foundation
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Online
Like many of their parks in Hartford and across the country, John Charles designed a picturesque landscape of open lawns surrounded by walking paths, overlooking the nearby river. At the center of the park sat Riverside Pond, with tree groves and native shrubs lining the riverbanks, helping to mitigate erosion.
When the park opened in 1899 it followed Olmsted Brothers plan, however, over time the original plan degraded, and is no longer evident. A 24-acre subtraction of land has left Riverside Park nestled between a railroad and an interstate.
Source: "Riverside Park- Hartford," The Cultural Landscape Foundation
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Online