Walnut Hill Park

Walnut Hill Park, Job #00600, New Britain, CT

Olmsted Archives

Quick Facts

Location:

New Britain, CT

Significance:

Olmsted Designed Park

MANAGED BY:

City of New Britain

Olmsted, Vaux & Co. were hired by the New Britain Park Commission in 1870 to design a park on land the city had recently purchased from the Walnut Hill Company. Olmsted’s plan for Walnut Hill Park was broken up into Walnut Hill, where he intended for an overlook, and a meadow, referred to as the Common.

Olmsted’s scenic overlook at the uppermost point of the park with a meandering path leading to it was never realized, and it is now the home of a 90-foot-tall obelisk built in 1930. The lower part of the park was designed as Olmsted intended, with the lower area being developed as a meadow with paths encircling the lawn.

Source: "Walnut Hill Park," The Cultural Landscape Foundation

For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Online