A Clearing In The Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Cent

  Muddy River Improvement, 342–45, 360

  mulattoes, 115, 122

  Mumford, Lewis, 91

  Murfreesboro, Tenn., 217

  mutiny, of seamen, 55

  Napoleon III, Emperor of France, 180

  Narrows, the, 282, 283–84

  Nashville, Tenn., 125, 146

  Natchitoches, La., 124–25, 128

  Nation, 20, 278–80, 307, 311

  National Era, 141

  National Park System, 238

  Navy, U.S., 55, 197, 205

  Nebraska, 125, 133

  Needham, Mass., 308

  Neill, Letitia, 98, 104

  Neu Braunfels, Tex., 129, 130

  Nevada Territory, 231, 232

  Newberry, John S., 200, 202, 215–16, 217, 221, 306

  New Britain, Conn., 308

  Newburgh, N.Y., 65–66, 71, 74

  New England Emigrant Aid Company, 138–39, 148

  New Hampshire, 40, 106, 277

  New Haven, Conn., 69

  FLO’s visits to, 47, 61–64, 71

  New Jersey, 280, 285, 349, 350, 357–58

  New Orleans, La., 111–12, 118–19, 122–23, 303, 330

  New Rochelle, N.Y., 192

  New York, N.Y., 32, 104, 208, 321, 386, 393–96

  Commissioners’ Plan for, 43, 192, 328

  described, 43–44, 65

  FLO in, 21–22, 37, 42–46, 49–50, 54, 65, 74, 134–42, 145–49, 155–79, 183–98, 205, 214, 220, 223, 269–84

  FLO offered street commissioner post in, 207

  FLO’s house in, 314, 347

  Greater, 281

  Great Fire of 1835 in, 44, 78

  literary world of, 108, 134, 137, 199

  museums in, 313, 373, 380

  parks in, 44, 94; see also Central Park; Prospect Park

  patronage and corruption in, 151

  Public Parks Department of, 311, 312, 313, 315, 326, 335–37, 347–48, 355

  suburbs of, 44–45, 292, 305, 328–29

  Washington Heights in, 192, 328

  waterfront of, 44, 50

  see also specific boroughs

  New York Daily Tribune, 149, 174

  New York Evening Post, 157, 312

  “New-York Park, The” (Downing), 94

  New York State Arsenal, 139

  New York State Asylum for the Insane, 306

  New York State Capitol, 327

  New-York Times (formerly New-York Daily Times), 137, 148, 174, 176, 204, 220, 317, 395, 411

  on Central Park design competition, 164, 168–69

  FLO as correspondent for, 108–32, 143, 205–6, 222

  Godkin’s farewell editorial in, 226, 228

  New York Tribune, 338

  New York World, 195, 204, 206, 305, 338

  Niagara Falls, 326, 341, 369–70, 373–75

  Niagara Falls Association, 369

  Niagara Square, 288, 316

  Nicaragua, 264, 269

  Nightingale, Florence, 197

  Nolen, John, 325

  Norfolk, Va., 109–10

  North American Review, 141, 148, 191, 277

  North Carolina:

  FLO in, 110–11, 123, 379–84, 403–4

  see also Biltmore

  Northern Pacific Railway, 329

  Northern Whig, 219

  North Guilford, Conn., 25, 26, 27, 69–71

  Norton, Charles Eliot, 339, 346, 354, 367, 369, 393, 411

  FLO’s correspondence with, 206, 277, 337, 385, 401

  on FLO’s face vs. character, 19

  FLO’s friendship with, 206, 277, 285, 348, 366, 396

  on FLO’s work, 191, 340, 356

  Godkin’s relationship with, 221

  literary interests of, 137, 191

  Nott, Joel Benedict, 156–57

  nurseries, 22, 85, 358, 375, 380

  of Downing, 65, 71, 74

  of FLO, 81–82, 92, 108

  Oakes Ames Memorial Town Hall, 349

  Oakland, Calif., 238, 243, 244, 245, 262–63

  Oakland Hills, 238, 245

  Ocean Parkway, 283, 308

  Official Views of the World’s Columbian Exposition, 397

  oil investments, 246–47

  Olin, Laurie, 19, 273

  Olmsted, Aaron (great-uncle), 48

  Olmsted, Albert (half brother), 43, 47, 91, 144, 314, 411

  Olmsted, Benjamin (grandfather), 25, 33, 48–49

  Olmsted, Bertha (half sister), 46, 135, 142, 144, 160, 202

  Olmsted, Charles Hyde (cousin), 33

  as FLO’s mentor, 33, 34, 36, 46, 48

  Olmsted, Charlotte (half sister), 26, 45

  Olmsted, Charlotte (niece; later step-daughter), see Bryant, Charlotte Olmsted

  Olmsted, Charlotte Hull (mother), 23–24, 33

  death of, 23–24, 25, 27, 45

  Olmsted, Content (grandmother), 27, 29, 33

  Olmsted, Dennison (second cousin), 36

  Olmsted, Fanny (cousin), 72, 411

  Olmsted, F. L., & Co., 385–92

  Olmsted, F. L. & J. C., Landscape Architects, 366–84

  Olmsted, Francis (cousin), 48

  Olmsted, Frederick (uncle), 23

  Olmsted, Frederick Law:

  adventurous spirit of, 34–35, 43, 48–49, 58, 84

  aging and last years of, 400–410

  ambitions of, 55, 112, 116, 136, 177, 186, 253, 280–81

  antislavery views of, 28, 66, 106, 116–21, 129–30, 133–34, 138–39, 143, 146–47, 157

  appearance of, 4, 17, 19, 54, 61, 83, 89, 158, 178, 192, 214, 222, 283, 318, 337, 339, 349, 365–66, 385, 403–5, 415

  as apprentice clerk, 42–43, 46, 76, 91

  argument as passion of, 104–5, 125

  arms dealing of, 139

  articles of, 92–95, 101, 108–32, 143, 149, 152, 157, 205–6, 222

  bills proposed by, 205–7

  broken engagement of, 97–98, 138

  career turning point of, 275–76

  carriage accident of, 19, 187–89

  as city planner, 275–76, 288–89, 296–98, 328–31

  civic sense of, 80, 92, 119, 129, 177, 224, 225, 234, 237–38, 254, 279

  college education lacked by, 36–39, 401

  commercial instincts of, 143, 243, 246–47

  confidence of, 67, 83, 84, 92, 113, 219, 290

  curiosity of, 29, 40, 41, 114

  death of, 410–11

  debts of, 150, 163, 192, 219, 225, 239

  delegation of authority by, 177, 186

  depression of, 247–48, 259, 316, 335, 337–38, 341, 355–57, 407

  determination and obstinacy of, 19–20, 39, 159

  diaries of, 94, 145–46, 253

  dissatisfaction of, 308–10

  drawing and sketching of, 40, 51, 99, 126, 170

  as editor, 137–38, 142, 143, 278–79

  education of, 25–30, 33, 36–40, 46, 61, 71, 84, 92, 176–77

  energy of, 28, 156, 179

  enthusiasm of, 28, 59–60, 76, 84, 94, 95, 131

  European travels of, 83–87, 142–45, 157, 159, 179–82, 186, 332–33, 336–38, 390–91, 407–9

  eye problems of, 36–38, 42

  fame of, 100, 172, 354

  family background of, 23–26, 86, 157

  farming of, 58–60, 64–66, 69–84, 91–92, 118, 123, 134, 135, 172, 310

  as father, 205, 283–84, 309, 318, 334, 401–3

  flowers and gardening as love of, 28, 33

  as grandfather, 348–49

  health problems of, 26, 27, 36–37, 50, 52, 53, 55, 62, 85, 179, 187–89, 214, 228, 232–33, 237, 259, 262, 316, 335, 337–38, 345, 348, 390, 391, 392

  hiking and walking of, 29, 30, 34–35, 84, 85, 86, 229

  honesty of, 46, 145, 157, 186

  honorary degree of, 238n, 397

  horseback riding of, 19, 63, 125, 126–27, 132, 170, 233–34, 237, 348

  income of, 81, 95, 108, 134, 157, 160, 163, 192, 198, 214, 219, 223, 238, 239, 240, 243, 247, 311, 326, 335, 342,
361, 390

  independence of, 29, 58, 67, 185

  indolence of, 46–47, 49

  intelligence of, 95, 176, 179

  as landscape architect, 21–22, 23, 238–46, 244, 258–64, 315–17, 320–38, 341–46, 349–54, 356–404; see also Olmsted, Vaux & Company, Landscape Architects; specific projects

  limp of, 19, 192, 219–20, 229, 318

  loneliness of, 72–73, 247

  as man of letters, 134, 137, 143–44, 157; see also specific works

  marriage of, 178–79, 186

  marriage plans of, 56, 59–60, 96–98, 103, 138, 142

  memoir of, 332

  memory problems of, 405–8

  mercenary streak of, 243

  Midwestern trip of, 217–18, 220, 253

  as mine manager, 19–20, 223–43, 247–49, 275–76

  mother’s death and, 23–24, 25, 40, 45

  as newspaper correspondent, 108–32, 143, 149, 205–6, 222

  organization and planning skills of, 20, 21, 23, 79, 137, 143, 172, 193, 202, 276

  as outdoorsman, 19, 29–30, 39, 42, 46, 58

  patriotism of, 197

  pets of, 69–70, 77, 132

  politics of, 92, 106, 107, 108, 133–34, 138–39, 151, 157, 162, 205–7, 279, 312, 332

  power sought by, 20–21, 92, 171–73

  publishing business of, 134, 136–51, 162–63, 220, 221

  reading of, 29, 46, 48, 66–69, 80, 82, 83, 228

  religious background of, 25, 26, 28

  religious conversion of, 64

  religious skepticism of, 64, 67–69, 105

  resignations of, 20, 145, 193–95, 197–98, 216, 218–19, 226, 228, 280

  romances and loves of, 56, 58–59, 61–64, 67, 72, 82–83, 96–98, 103, 123, 138, 142

  romanticism of, 58, 82

  seafaring of, 48–56, 58, 73, 95

  seasickness of, 50, 52

  as self-invented man, 91

  slavery debate and, 105–8, 110–25, 128–31, 133–34, 138–41, 143, 146–49

  as small-boat sailor, 19, 40, 46, 50, 71, 283–84

  social side of, 33–34, 46, 56, 58–59, 71–72, 77, 78–79, 82–83, 137

  solitariness of, 29, 179

  sons’ deaths and, 188–89, 191–92, 284

  stock of, 223, 239, 264

  surveying apprenticeship of, 36, 38–40, 46, 76, 91, 170

  trial testimony of, 55

  vacations of, 40, 69, 71, 142–43, 179–82, 222–23, 235–37, 277, 310, 326–27, 335–38, 341

  vision of, 80, 273–74

  wild and vagabond life of, 25, 37, 39–40, 126–27, 154, 207, 239

  work habits of, 217, 233, 235, 309–10

  writing style of, 45–46, 53, 59, 99, 112–15, 123, 159

  see also specific works

  Olmsted, Frederick Law, Jr. (Rick; formerly Henry Perkins) (son), 309, 318, 319, 326, 347, 401–11

  appearance of, 365, 405

  career of, 410

  education of, 365, 386, 401, 402, 403, 408

  European travels of, 390–91, 408

  FLO’s correspondence with, 401–3, 406–8

  renaming of, 353–54

  Western travels of, 368–69

  Olmsted, Gideon (great-uncle), 25, 49

  Olmsted, H. B., & Company, 24

  Olmsted, Henry Perkins (son), see Olmsted, Frederick Law, Jr.

  Olmsted, John (father), 23–27, 37–43, 106, 124, 142, 153, 178, 223

  business talents of, 24, 26, 30, 42, 43, 76

  death of, 29, 314–16, 341

  diary of, 29, 37–38, 40

  education lacked by, 24, 26

  in Europe, 144, 150, 160

  FLO’s broken engagement and, 97–98

  FLO’s correspondence with, 20, 38, 39, 47, 50, 54, 59, 66, 77, 84–85, 112, 131, 134, 135, 137–38, 141, 154, 160, 161, 163, 179, 193, 197, 198, 206, 207, 219, 228, 233, 239, 253

  FLO’s farming and, 58, 69, 72, 74, 76–77, 81, 134

  FLO’s financial aid from, 26, 69, 72, 76–77, 81, 84, 134, 136, 138, 150

  FLO’s quarrel with, 219

  FLO’s relationship with, 26, 27, 28, 41, 42, 47, 49, 56, 58, 62, 76, 134, 160, 219

  in New York, 50, 54

  retirement of, 77, 144

  vacations of, 26, 40, 69, 71, 72, 77, 144

  Olmsted, John Charles (nephew; later stepson), 29, 124, 160, 178, 283–84, 348, 395, 404, 406–11

  in California, 232, 233, 234, 237, 250

  European travels of, 333–38, 353, 402

  FLO’s correspondence with, 333–36, 358, 368, 369, 370, 386, 392, 400, 401, 402, 405, 406, 408

  FLO’s work with, 326, 345, 353–54, 357, 358, 365–66, 370, 385, 386, 392, 405, 406, 408, 409

  at Yale, 318, 326

  Olmsted, John Hull (brother), 23, 43, 50, 69, 82

  death of, 160, 162, 176, 178, 409n

  education of, 25, 26–27, 34, 40–41, 46, 47, 57–58, 77, 122

  European travels of, 26–27, 40, 83–86, 124, 147, 150, 160, 176

  FLO’s close relationship with, 34–35, 160, 178

  FLO’s correspondence with, 40, 46, 48, 55, 57–58, 59, 75, 83, 144, 157, 178

  FLO’s farming and, 69–70, 72, 77

  health problems of, 57, 62, 72, 83, 98, 124, 132, 134, 135, 147, 160, 348

  Journey Through Texas and, 145–46, 160

  Kingsbury’s correspondence with, 18, 77

  marriage of, 98, 124

  photographs of, 17, 61

  religious revival and, 63, 64

  slavery debate and, 107, 146

  Southern trip of, 124–32, 146

  at Tosomock Farm, 124, 134–35, 147

  Olmsted, John Theodore (son), death of, 188–89, 191–92

  Olmsted, Maria (aunt), 53, 77

  Olmsted, Marion (daughter), 205, 284, 318, 319, 347, 353, 365, 406–9

  in California, 232, 233, 234, 237, 250

  European travels of, 390–91, 408–9

  Olmsted, Mary (half sister), 46, 142, 144, 160, 314

  Olmsted, Mary Ann Bull (stepmother), 35n, 40, 49, 63, 314

  in Europe, 144, 160

  FLO’s correspondence with, 45–46, 50, 54

  FLO’s relationship with, 26, 27, 315n

  marriage of, 24, 26

  Olmsted, Mary Perkins (sister-in-law; later wife), 186, 206, 225, 390, 406–11

  appearance of, 78, 153, 178, 179, 318, 365–66

  at Biltmore, 403, 405

  in Brookline, 347, 348, 351, 365–66

  in California, 232–37, 240, 242–43, 246, 247, 250, 251, 256, 264, 265

  carriage accident and, 188

  in Central Park, 187, 318, 319

  childbirths of, 124, 134, 178, 179, 188, 205, 284, 309

  family background of, 78

  FLO’s correspondence with, 179, 200, 211, 215, 220, 221, 223–24, 228, 230, 231, 242–43, 246, 287, 290–91

  FLO’s friendship with, 78–79, 82

  intelligence and liveliness of, 78, 179

  John Charles’s correspondence with, 337–38, 407, 409

  John Hull’s death and, 160, 178

  John Theodore’s death and, 188

  marriages of, 98, 124, 178–79

  Sanitary Commission and, 198, 200

  in Staten Island, 78, 79, 82, 124, 131, 134–35, 178, 276, 284

  at Tosomock Farm, 79, 124, 131, 134–35, 178

  vacations of, 222, 235–37, 277, 310, 326–27, 341, 406, 408–9

  Vaux as viewed by, 313, 338, 408

  in Washington, 214–15

  Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, 392–409

  Olmsted, Owen (half brother), 43, 45

  Olmsted, Owen (nephew; later stepson), 29, 160, 178, 283–84, 338

  in California, 232, 233, 234, 237, 250

  death of, 348

  education of, 318, 326

  Olmsted, Owen (uncle), 26, 27, 72

  Olmsted, Vaux & Company, Landscape Architects, 264, 269–77, 280–302, 308–13, 396–97

 
breakup of, 312–13, 373

  Buffalo parks and, 285–89, 286, 296, 298, 306, 308

  Riverside and, 290–96, 298–99, 300, 305, 308

  South Park and, 299–302, 308, 311

  unequal collaboration in, 309–10

  see also Prospect Park

  Olmsted & Vaux, 192, 195, 214, 219, 263

  Olmsted Brothers, 409–10

  Olmsted Hall, 86n

  Opdyke, George, 206, 207, 222, 223, 241

  Orr, John William, 99

  Oso House, 227, 229, 230, 265

  paintings, 169, 236, 403–4, 405

  Palo Alto, Calif., 368–69, 371–72, 375–79

  Pamunkey River, 209, 212

  Panama, 230, 264, 301

  Panic of 1857, 150n

  Panic of 1873, 315–16

  Parade, the, 287–88, 298

  Paris, 26–27, 40, 218, 289, 303, 333, 408

  Avenue de l’Impératrice in, 282

  FLO in, 85, 142, 180, 282, 337

  Paris Exposition (1889), 387, 391

  Parish, Susan Delafield, 164

  Park, Trenor, 231

  Parker, Dr., 52

  Parker, Theodore, 107

  Parkes, Josiah, 86, 159

  Parkman, Francis, 341

  parks, 357–58

  aquatic, 300–302, 397–98

  in Boston, 341–46, 358, 360–64

  in Buffalo, 285–89, 286, 296, 298, 306, 308, 326, 333

  in Chicago, 299–302, 308, 311, 315–16, 355, 360, 386–92

  in Detroit, 350–51, 352, 358

  in England, 87, 99, 100, 180–82, 272, 333; see also Birkenhead Park

  Mount Royal, 13–14, 321–25, 322, 350, 355

  in New York, 44, 94; see also Central Park; Prospect Park

  in San Francisco, 263, 274–75, 288

  suburbs compared with, 292

  parkways, 288–89, 291–92, 299

  in Atlanta, 400–401

  in Brooklyn, 282–83, 308, 337

  Pasteur, Louis, 23

  Paxton, Sir Joseph, 93, 94, 168, 194

  Peabody, Robert, 354, 387, 388–89

  Peabody and Stearns, 349, 358, 387

  Peel, Sir Robert, 32n

  Peninsular Campaign, 208–14

  Perkins, Cyrus, 78

  Perkins, Emily Baldwin, see Hale, Emily Perkins

  Perkins, Frederick, 184n

  Perkins, Henry, 232, 233

  Perkins, Mary Cleveland Bryant, see Olmsted, Mary Perkins

  Perkins, Mrs. (Emily’s mother), 97

  Philadelphia, Pa., 32, 43, 101, 280, 281, 308, 326

  cemeteries in, 45, 168

  Pieper, John, 227, 230, 231, 242

  Pierce, Edward, 205, 206

  Pilat, Ignaz Anton, 176, 177, 261, 301

  Pinchot, Gifford, 384, 392, 404

  “Pioneer Condition and the Drift of Civilization in America, The” (Olmsted’s proposed work), 296–98

  notes for, 251–55

  plantations, 105, 111–15