Frederick Law Olmsted once remarked, “the common man should be able to find in the city a rural landscape where he could go quickly to put the city behind him out of his sight and go where he will be under the undisturbed influences of pleasing natural scenery”. In his design of Lake Park, Olmsted created such a place along the shores of Lake Michigan that has remained true to his original concept over 100 years ago. Olmsted is credited with many of the most beautiful landscapes in America, including Central Park in New York City, the U.S. Capitol Grounds, and the exhibitor grounds for the 1893 Columbian Expo in Chicago.

For more information about Olmsted and his other creations, consult the following websites:

Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site - From the National Park Service, this site offers archives of much of Olmsted’s work, including information concerning his crowning achievement, Central Park in New York City. The site also contains a slide gallery of the actual Historic Site in Fairsted, Massachusetts, a bookstore, and a link to the Olmsted Center for Landscape Preservation.

Frederick Law Olmsted - Founder of American Landscape Architecture - This site offers links to many of Olmsted’s works, sites dealing with his most significant landscape designs, and organizations concerning Olmsted and landscape design.