Civilizing American Cities: Writings On City Landscapes
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822–1903) designed New York City's Central Park, Brooklyn's Prospect Park, Chicago's South Park and Jackson Park, Montreal's Mount Royal Park, the park systems of Boston and Buffalo, and many others. But Olmsted also designed parkways and neighborhoods, reshaping cities around their parks. He thus reinvented the American urban landscape as a democratic outdoor setting that encouraged a new kind of participation in city life. Olmsted was one of the most gifted of American writers of his generation: prior to designing Central Park, he had written five important books, including The Cotton Kingdom (an account of his travels in the slave states), and his writings on American landscapes are unfailingly lively, eloquent, and passionate. Civilizing American Cities collects Olmsted's plans for New York, San Francisco, Buffalo, Montreal, Chicago, and Boston; his suburban plans for Berkeley, California and Riverside, Illinois; and a generous helping of his writings on urban landscape in general. These selections, expertly edited and introduced, are not only enjoyable but essential reading for anyone interested in the history—and the future—of America's cities.
"1111984815"
Civilizing American Cities: Writings On City Landscapes
Frederick Law Olmsted (1822–1903) designed New York City's Central Park, Brooklyn's Prospect Park, Chicago's South Park and Jackson Park, Montreal's Mount Royal Park, the park systems of Boston and Buffalo, and many others. But Olmsted also designed parkways and neighborhoods, reshaping cities around their parks. He thus reinvented the American urban landscape as a democratic outdoor setting that encouraged a new kind of participation in city life. Olmsted was one of the most gifted of American writers of his generation: prior to designing Central Park, he had written five important books, including The Cotton Kingdom (an account of his travels in the slave states), and his writings on American landscapes are unfailingly lively, eloquent, and passionate. Civilizing American Cities collects Olmsted's plans for New York, San Francisco, Buffalo, Montreal, Chicago, and Boston; his suburban plans for Berkeley, California and Riverside, Illinois; and a generous helping of his writings on urban landscape in general. These selections, expertly edited and introduced, are not only enjoyable but essential reading for anyone interested in the history—and the future—of America's cities.
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Civilizing American Cities: Writings On City Landscapes

Civilizing American Cities: Writings On City Landscapes

by Frederick Law Olmsted
Civilizing American Cities: Writings On City Landscapes

Civilizing American Cities: Writings On City Landscapes

by Frederick Law Olmsted

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$21.99 
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Overview

Frederick Law Olmsted (1822–1903) designed New York City's Central Park, Brooklyn's Prospect Park, Chicago's South Park and Jackson Park, Montreal's Mount Royal Park, the park systems of Boston and Buffalo, and many others. But Olmsted also designed parkways and neighborhoods, reshaping cities around their parks. He thus reinvented the American urban landscape as a democratic outdoor setting that encouraged a new kind of participation in city life. Olmsted was one of the most gifted of American writers of his generation: prior to designing Central Park, he had written five important books, including The Cotton Kingdom (an account of his travels in the slave states), and his writings on American landscapes are unfailingly lively, eloquent, and passionate. Civilizing American Cities collects Olmsted's plans for New York, San Francisco, Buffalo, Montreal, Chicago, and Boston; his suburban plans for Berkeley, California and Riverside, Illinois; and a generous helping of his writings on urban landscape in general. These selections, expertly edited and introduced, are not only enjoyable but essential reading for anyone interested in the history—and the future—of America's cities.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780306807657
Publisher: Hachette Books
Publication date: 03/22/1997
Pages: 318
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)
Age Range: 18 Years

Table of Contents

1Frederick Law Olmsted, 1822-1903: Introduction1
2Expanding Cities: Random versus Organized Growth21
The Structure of Cities: A Historical View23
The Misfortunes of New York43
Public Parks and the Enlargement of Towns52
3City Parks and Improved Use of Metropolitan Spaces101
San Francisco, 1866: A City in Search of Identity104
Buffalo: A Lakeshore Park and Pleasing Parkways130
Chicago: Taming the Waterfront156
Montreal: A Mountaintop Park and Some Thoughts on Art and Nature197
Boston: Parks and Parkways--a Green Ribbon221
4Suburban Solutions263
Berkeley: A University Community264
Riverside, Illinois: A Planned Community near Chicago292
Index307
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