Frederick Law Olmsted | Designing Western New York
This WNED PBS original production explores the role of Frederick Law Olmsted in the Buffalo parks system and his work with the Free Niagara Movement. The Buffalo park system is the oldest integrated system in America and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To Olmsted, a park was both a work of art and a necessity for urban life.
WNED PBS
"Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing Western New York" is made possible by the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation
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Chapters:
0:00 Tease
2:00 Program Funders
2:12 Niagara Falls Inspires Young Olmsted
4:19 Buffalo Calls on Olmsted
5:13 William Dorsheimer awaits Olmsted’s arrival
5:46 Buffalo’s original city plan
6:19 Olmsted devises a plan for Buffalo park system
8:09 Olmsted convinces leaders to support his park plan
9:24 Connecting green space plays important role in Buffalo plan
10:35 Olmsted’s idea of Central Park for Buffalo
11:08 Friendship forms between Olmsted, Dorsheimer and Richardson
11:25 Dorsheimer takes Olmsted and Richardson to Niagara Falls
12:20 Olmsted imagines a dark future for Niagara Falls
12:40 Olmsted leads Free Niagara Movement
14:56 Olmsted and Calvert Vaux chosen to create Niagara Falls park design
16:15 Olmsted and Vaux’s historic plan for Niagara was left for others to complete
17:10 Niagara Falls visitor experience became very different from what Olmsted had in mind
17:38 No major upgrades on the park since the 1960s
18:11 State of New York commits 25 million dollars for renovations
18:57 Olmsted’s impact on Buffalo
20:30 Buffalo’s long history of park system and neglect after WWII
20:50 Increasing awareness of park system’s importance
21:50 Conservancy restores traffic circles based on Olmsted’s original plans
22:38 Improving the park system to fit the needs of the residents today
23:37 Olmsted retires
23:53 Olmsted’s legacy
26:00 Credits
Video and info by Buffalo Toronto Public Media
"Each individual, adding by his mere presence to the pleasure of all others, poor and rich, young and old, all helping to the greater happiness of each."
Frederick Law Olmstead
Special Thanks to:
- Francis Kowsky, Architectural Historian, Buffalo State College
- Tom Yots, Preservationist, Preservation Buffalo Niagara
- Witold Rybczynski, Architectural Historian, University of Pennsylvania
- Thomas Herrera-Mishler, CEO & President (2008-2014), Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
- Brian Dold, Landscape Architect, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
- Robert G. Shibley, Professor and Dean, School of Architecture and Planning, University at Buffalo
- Charles Beveridge, Architectural Historian, American University
- Lynda H. Schneekloth, Landscape Architect and Professor, Emeritus School of Architecture and Planning, University at Buffalo
- Mark Thomas, Director, Western District New York State Parks
- Chris Mendel, Landscape Architect, Andropogon Associates
- Andrew Rabb, Deputy Parks Commissioner, City of Buffalo
Keywords:
Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux, Olmsted Park System, Buffalo Park System, Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo, a City within a Park, Park System, Urban Park System, Urban Park, Public Park, Western NY, Olmsted Parks, Connected Parks, Public Spaces within the City, Connecting Green Spaces.