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synopsis

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and John Charles Olmsted, Sudbrook Park was first envisioned as a summer resort town. Representing the American ideal, the community served as a suburban enclave for Baltimore residents looking to escape the city environment. The 1889 Frederick Law Olmsted and Co. plan shows the uniformed layout of the 204-acre property

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and John Charles Olmsted, Sudbrook Park was first envisioned as a summer resort town. Representing the American ideal, the community served as a suburban enclave for Baltimore residents looking to escape the city environment. The 1889 Frederick Law Olmsted and Co. plan shows the uniformed layout of the 204-acre property (Plan 01054-z11). The northeast entrance provided access to the five tree-lined roads which the community was centered around. Divided into 21 blocks, the individual lot sizes ranged from 1-2 acres.

In an effort to be inclusionary and attract families from different socio-economic backgrounds, the Olmsted firm capped the prices of the single family homes at $3,000. Furthermore, they put in place several deed restrictions to ensure the community remained picturesque. Each lot was required to have 40 feet of lawn space between the sidewalk and entryway and the height of the homes could not exceed three stories.

The residential community of Sudbrook Park was officially recognized as a historic district in the 1970s and the Olmsted Firm’s original plan is largely intact today.

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