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| CP Louisville |
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| CP NYC |
I've had the opportunity to visit two Central Parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted this year, the most well-known in New York City and another lovely Central Park in Louisville.
The creation of a large park in Manhattan was first proposed in the 1840s, and a 778-acre park approved in 1853. In 1857, landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition for the park with their "Greensward Plan". Construction began the same year; existing structures, including a majority-Black settlement named Seneca Village, were seized through eminent domain and razed. The park's first areas were opened to the public in late 1858. Additional land at the northern end of Central Park was purchased in 1859, and the park was completed in 1876.
The City of Louisville commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted to design a park system in 1891. At that time, his greatest achievement was his concept of creating a system of parks connected to tree-lined parkways, instead of freestanding parks as was the common practice. His concept was most fully realized in Louisville, the ultimate park system of his career, and one of only four completed such Olmsted systems in the world. Central Park is the former site of the DuPont mansion and was converted into a park in 1904-1905. It is located in the Old Louisville neighborhood, 1340 South 4th Street.
Similarities between Louisville’s and NYC’s Central Parks:
- Greenspace in an urban neighborhood
- Big trees line the roads and pathways
- Community gathering space: concerts, playgrounds, benches, family activities, dog walking, jogging
- Peaceful place for city dwellers and visitors
- Need to be aware if you’re in the park after dark
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