Considered by many the “Father of Landscape Architecture”, Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. was born in 1822, April 26. Park, trail and natural resource advocates, planners, park professionals and millions of people who have enjoyed the Olmsted legacy of parks, formal and informal, for the past two-hundred years will mark the anniversary with events across the United States throughout 2022. The national celebration is coordinated by the National Association of Olmsted Parks.
Here in Portland, numerous lectures, events, and field excursions will focus on the works of Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. (FLO) and his son John Charles Olmsted (JCO), who carried forward the landscape philosophy established by his stepfather, including the public spaces of multiple cities in the Pacific Northwest.
Click here to read up on the Olmsteds and their impact on the Portland Metro Region, and scroll down for a list of upcoming events.
Upcoming Events
March 7 at 6 p.m. | Hosted by Portland Parks Foundation
From the Cotton Kingdom: Frederick Law Olmsted, Abolition and Park Design
March 8 at 10 a.m. | KEX Radio 1190 AM
Interview with Mike Houck, Director Emeritus of the Urban Greenspaces Institute for background on Olmsted200
March 9 at 7 p.m. | Hosted by Friends of Columbia Park
An Evening with William J. Hawkins, author of The Legacy of Olmsted Brothers in Portland, Oregon
March 14 at 6 p.m. | Hosted by Portland Parks Foundation
Parks and Consequences—Hidden Histories of Olmsted Parks Tradition, from New York to Portland
March 28 at 6 p.m. | Hosted by Portland Parks Foundation
Beyond Recreation: Climate, Social Justice, and the Urban Landscape Ahead
April 4 at 10 a.m. | KBOO Radio
An interview with Mike Houck, former Urban Naturalist for Bird Alliance of Oregon and Director Emeritus of the Urban Greenspaces Institute and Jim Sjulin, former Natural Resource Program Manager for Portland Parks and Recreation and current board member of the 40-Mile Loop Land Trust.
April 5 at 7 p.m. | Hosted by the Oregon Historical Society
Frederick Law Olmsted: Bringing Nature into the City
April 26 | Portland Parks Foundation
Indigenous Landscapes: Past, Present, Future
April 26 | Portland Garden Club
John Charles Olmsted’s Portland Legacy
April 26 at 4 p.m. | At Lucky Lab Brewing, 915 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland
Frederick Law Olmsted 200th Birthday Celebration