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‘Communitiveness’
Olmsted’s last park was almost lost, but the
community rallied to save it
Frederick Law Olmsted (FLO) was a 19th-century innovator, author, city planner and founder
of landscape architecture whose remarkable landscape designs have literally changed the face of
America.
Olmsted and the Olmsted Firm developed beautiful and functional landscapes throughout
the nation, including parks and parkway systems, diverse recreation areas, college and institutional
campuses, urban and suburban areas, planned communities, estates, cemeteries and specialized
landscapes for arboreta and expositions. Olmsted envisioned the preservation of Americas great
scenic features for the enjoyment of all Americans and his son (FLO, Jr.) played a critical role in the
creation of the National Park System.
Olmsted and the Olmsted Firm undertook nearly 6,000 projects over a period of 100 years.
These designs can still be enjoyed coast to coast — from New Yorks Central Park to Palos Verdes in
California. These landscapes are part of Americas
cultural heritage.
“Communitiveness,” a word coined by
Olmsted, was the bringing together of groups
and individuals lor the betterment of all. Nothing
exemplifies that more than Olmstead Linear Park,
the centerpiece of the Druid Hills neighborhood.
The park is divided into six segments —
Springdale, Virgilee, Oak Grove, Shadyside,
Dellwood, and Deepdene — along Ponce de
Leon Avenue. Children ride their bikes, exercise
enthusiasts run along the paved pathways, and
dogs and their owners enjoy a leisurely stroll
through the old-growth forest. Some of the trees
in the park are more than 275 years old.
Sandra Stewart Kruger, executive director
of the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance (OLPA),
said the 45-acres of greenspace had proven, once
again, their vitalness to not only Druid Hills but
the entire city.
“The park has been a wonderful oasis for
visitors who needed to be outside, spend time with their families, and shake off the COVID-19
mess,” Kruger said. “We even had home school and pop-up classrooms.”
It’s hard to believe that the lush park was ever considered disposable, but after decades of
neglect, the park was almost lost to a highway project.
“The state thought the park wasn’t important because it had become a place to avoid,” Kruger
said. “There had been erosion, people parked their cars in there, modifications that weren’t part of
Olmsted’s design had been made, and it was just dilapidated.”
In 1997, the OLPA was formed as a public-private partnership to return the park to Olmsted’s
original vision. Through a series of capital campaigns, OLPA raised more than $10 million to
ensure the restoration and preservation of the park.
Kruger calls Olmsted a visionary.
“There are all these spaces across the nation we have today because of his vision,” she said.
“Olmsted was an abolitionist, fought for social justice, and believed parks and greenspaces should
be accessible for everyone. That is definitely something to celebrate in the environment we are in
today.”
For more about the OLPA, visit atlantaolmsteadpark.org. QH
OLMSTED
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The Olmsted 200 Planning Committee would like to thank our
sponsors for their support in celebrating Frederick Law Olmsted
Sr's 200th birthday!
This is a year-long celebration featuring an exciting line-up of
events that you do not want to miss.
THANK YOU TO OUR OLMSTED 200 SPONSORS
Silver
Bronze
Alida & Stuart Silverman
TUNNELL & TUNNELL
ASLA
GEORGIA
'Drutd/HMy
Wank[0TOWN -aROUGH SHAFT
DECATUR
Callanwolde DPS
FINE ARTS CENTER
PACKAGE STORE
Zfest
36 APRIL 2022 | Id
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