Courtesy of Oregon Historical Society

April 5th, 7 pm, Oregon Historical Society

Frederick Law Olmsted: Bringing Nature into the City

April 26, 2022, marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted, the master designer of public parks and a founder of the field of landscape architecture.

Join historian, filmmaker, and Olmsted historian Laurence Cotton for a deep dive into the remarkable life and career of Renaissance-man Olmsted — writer, philosopher, social reformer, advocate for the preservation of natural scenery, and creator of some of the most beautiful public and private parks and gardens in North America. In his presentation, Cotton will talk about the design traditions, aesthetics, and philosophies that influenced Olmsted — including English garden design, the Hudson River School, and Transcendentalism. He will emphasize Olmsted’s remarkable career as a writer and the worldwide influence of his publications on the antebellum South and the institution of slavery. Finally, Cotton will give a visual tour of representative landscapes across North American designed by Olmsted, his two sons, and the Olmsted Bros. landscape architecture firm, with a focus on the West Coast and particularly John Charles Olmsted’s legacy in the Pacific Northwest.

Presenter Laurence Cotton was the originator, principal researcher, and consulting producer for the nationally broadcast PBS film, Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America. He has presented the film many times across the country since it was first broadcast in 2014.  This year he is making additional appearances across the United States, delivering his new PowerPoint presentation about the Olmsted legacy as part of the National Association for Olmsted Parks’ Olmsted200 commemoration. 

For more information and to register go to: https://www.ohs.org/events/frederick-law-olmsted.cfm