Project Details Page

synopsis

In 1892 Frederick Law Olmsted advocated for the acquisition of land east of Franklin Park (00918) “for an ornamental ground or lake and later for a training field and playground.” The field was intended to connect to Franklin Park and provide specific recreational opportunities not offered in the neighboring landscape. The 40 acres of meadow and 30 acres of upland were considered ideal

In 1892 Frederick Law Olmsted advocated for the acquisition of land east of Franklin Park (00918) “for an ornamental ground or lake and later for a training field and playground.” The field was intended to connect to Franklin Park and provide specific recreational opportunities not offered in the neighboring landscape. The 40 acres of meadow and 30 acres of upland were considered ideal as when “properly drained and treated the meadow can be made suitable for all uses where level ground is needed, and that it can also be flooded in winter to make a skating pond.” With a proposed location of Blue Hill Avenue and Talbot Avenue (Plan 917-5), correspondence reveals the City of Boston had objections to the plan from the beginning. An area called ‘Peat Meadow’ was eventually chosen for the site of Franklin Field, however its location was too far from Franklin Park for Olmsted’s athletic field vision to be realized. [Geo F. Lelarke to FLO_1892-02-08_LOC-OAR-B_00917-im.2&4]

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