The Place and the Maker: Frederick Law Olmsted and His Boston Parks

Abstract

The conception of the Gilded Age urban park sought to reclaim sanitary, recreational, scenic, and reformist ideals perceived to have gone astray under intense industrialization and expansion. in Boston, each factor took on characteristics particular to New England. Frederick law Olmsted's Boston system was a composite of his previous work in other cities. These parks manifested the unification of design principles that addressed the purpose and function of parks, as well as exemplified his naturalistic style, both fully formed by the commencement of his Boston work. The confluence of the city's Gilded Age political arena, the man's vision, and the geography of Boston allowed for the manipulation of pastureland into the most elegant and complete manifestation of his design philosophy.