Frederick Law Olmsted

Born on July 24, 1870, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. was an American landscape architect and city planner, and the son of Frederick Law Olmsted. He became known not only for continuing the Olmsted firm’s work, but also for helping define the broader role of landscape architecture in public life.

He worked on major planning and conservation efforts and was especially associated with the protection and development of national parks, including work connected to Acadia, the Everglades, and Yosemite. He is also remembered as an important early advocate for thoughtful regional planning and for treating parks, open space, and civic design as part of a larger public good.

His career helped bridge the picturesque park tradition of the 19th century with the more complex planning needs of the modern city. By the time of his death on December 25, 1957, he had left a lasting mark on American environmental planning and the profession of landscape architecture.