Olmsted in Seattle

Please note this is a virtual program that is free and open to the public.

Amid galloping growth at the turn of the 20th century, Seattle's city leaders seized on the confluence of a roaring economy with the City Beautiful movement to hire the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm to design a park and parkway system. Their 1903 plan led to a supplemental plan, a playground plan, numerous park and boulevard designs, changes to park system management, and a ripple effect, as the Olmsted Brothers were hired to design public and private landscapes throughout the region. The park system shaped Seattle's character and continues to play a key role in the city's livability today.

Join author and environmental historian, Jennifer Ott, for a talk about the Olmsted Brothers work in Seattle and the life of the park system they created. This talk is based on Ms. Ott’s book, Olmsted in Seattle: Creating a Park System for a Modern City.

Presented as part of the Bunny Mellon Curricula at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. The ICAA is very grateful to the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation for its generous support of this program, along with the Bunny Mellon Curricula Sponsors: Lead Sponsor, Hollander Design Landscape Architects, Continuing Education and Public Programs Sponsor, Charlotte Moss, and Film Series Sponsor, Janice Parker Landscape Architects.

Lead Annual Public Programs Sponsor: RINCK
Seasonal Public Programs Sponsor: Dell Mitchell Architects
Seasonal Public Programs Sponsor: Hyde Park Moulding