In 1893, Frederick Olmsted, Sr. created the original plan for what is now known as the "Olmsted Linear Parks" along Ponce de Leon Avenue. Atlanta businessman Joel Hurt engaged Olmsted to design this series of parks in conjunction with the Druid Hills residential development. Upon his passing, Olmsted's sons completed the final plan in 1905.
There is a series of six parks in the traditional picturesque style with curvilinear roads, walking paths, and controlled growth of nature.
Druids Hills, Georgia, one of Atlanta's first three "planned" suburbs, emphasized the need of the borderland, picturesque built environment. A streetcar suburb, Druid Hills was meant to be easily accessible by the commuting elite, while providing those same elite with a parklike environment and opportunities for recreation. Originally conceived by prominent Atlanta developer Joel Hurt as the "ideal suburb," Hurt hired Frederick Law Olmsted (principal designer of Central Park in New York City) to provide a layout plan. Olmsted, naturally, chose a design that placed the landscape at the center: Ponce de Leon Avenue led from Midtown Atlanta east to a fabled, youth-like, health environment. Olmsted's master plan made use of curving, winding roads and use of park space to fill in the intertwined space. Outside of this, large private lots included homes designed principally by the individual lot owner. One of Olmstead's last projects, work on Druid Hills was carried out mainly by his sons; work was not completed until 1936.
ReplyDeleteThere are terrific photos, Michelle. Robert, your comments make an ideal additional caption for such an entry. I'm glad to be learning much at Atlanta from both of you.
ReplyDeleteAsa Candler was actually the person to guide Druid Hills into existence. Hurt started it and did hire Olmsted as Robert said, but he sold out his interest to Candler and a syndicate. Candler was responsible for bringing the streetcar to Druid Hills with a large "donation" to Georgia Power.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Olmsted's originally plan called for the parks to be in the median of what is now Ponce and there was a hotel planned for the neighborhood. The Olmsted sons nixed the hotel after Poppa died.
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