Last updated: June 11, 2024
Place
Robbins Memorial Town Hall
Olmsted Archives
Quick Facts
Moving from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, one of the wealthy families of the area, the Robbins’, gave their time and wealth to the betterment of the town. The Robbins family funded and built Arlington’s main library, town hall, as well as gifting their mansion to the town. The two surviving sisters, Ida and Caira, oversaw the construction of both the Town Hall and associated gardens.
In 1938, the Robbins sisters hired Olmsted Brothers to redesign the gardens by Town Hall. Firm members James Frederick Dawson and Leon Zach were the main points of contact for this design. The new design transformed the garden into a secluded, welcoming space that included a circular brick walk through the garden and an “informal, woodsy and rocky environment and a naturalistic planting as a background”.
Nestled between the Library and Town Hall, the gardens provided a quiet respite for visitors and citizens, something they continue to offer today. Olmsted Brothers’ work would continue till 1941, working to keep many of the key water features intact.
Source: "History of the Winfield Robbins Memorial Garden," Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
In 1938, the Robbins sisters hired Olmsted Brothers to redesign the gardens by Town Hall. Firm members James Frederick Dawson and Leon Zach were the main points of contact for this design. The new design transformed the garden into a secluded, welcoming space that included a circular brick walk through the garden and an “informal, woodsy and rocky environment and a naturalistic planting as a background”.
Nestled between the Library and Town Hall, the gardens provided a quiet respite for visitors and citizens, something they continue to offer today. Olmsted Brothers’ work would continue till 1941, working to keep many of the key water features intact.
Source: "History of the Winfield Robbins Memorial Garden," Friends of the Robbins Town Gardens
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr