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