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Olmsted > 1890s > 1891 > November 1891 > November 7, 1891 > Frederick Law Olmsted to Thomas H. Sherley, November 7, 1891
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To Thomas H. Sherley

The Honorable Thos. H. Sherley, President of the
Board of Park Commissioners, Louisville, Kentucky.
Dear Sir:-
7th November, 1891.

We send you, to-day, by express, plans for laying out Kenton Place and Logan Place which we beg you to submit to the consideration of your Board.

The narrowness of these grounds makes it impracticable to provide for their being used for much else than out-of-door resting-places, and for the simplest forms of exercise for infants and small children. The arrangements

Plan of Logan Place, Louisville, 1892

Plan of Logan Place, Louisville, 1892

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Sketch of Arbor, Logan Place

Sketch of Arbor, Logan Place

proposed for this purpose in Kenton Place will require no description other than that presented in the drawings.

Logan Place being a little wider than Kenton, we propose the introduction of a special feature. Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that this would be in the form of a central court 70 feet long and 36 feet wide, separated from the street and the grass plats of the Place by a wall of the same height with the iron fence now set on its boundary. From this wall piers would rise to a height of 11 feet from the ground. In the middle of the court there would be a rectangular basin 12 feet wide and 40 feet long, from the retaining walls of which piers would rise, of the same height with those on the outer walls. The outer and inner piers would support a trellis upon which vines would grow, covering the whole of the court except a central space through which sunlight would fall upon the water. In the central part of the basin there would be a walled enclosure below the surface of the water, holding soil in which would grow aquatic vegetation, consisting partly of reedy plants, partly of blooming Irises and Nelumbiums and partly of Water Lilies. A fragrant and beautiful water-garden could thus be formed, toward which those sitting in the seats shown in the outer parts of the court would face. Vines for covering the trellis would be planted in the turf outside of the two ends of the court, and also in two intermediate spaces provided for the purpose in the plan of the walls and seats. In other respects, the proposition is sufficiently explained by the drawing.

If these plans should be acceptable to your Board, the drawings will be found to give all needed instructions for such work in carrying them out as is to be desirably done this Fall. We can confer with you at our next visit with regard to other details of construction, questions pertaining to which will be chiefly as to the local materials to be used most economically. The low walls required may be either of common well-burned brick or of stone, as shall be found least costly. As they will, in a year or two, be almost entirely obscured by foliage, rough material will not be objectionable.

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The space allowed for turf and trees in both places should be dug over and pulverized to a depth of 30 inches, so much of it being removed as is necessary to a stratum of fair friable earth in the lower part of 15 inches, and a stratum of good garden soil above it of 15 inches.

The plan of Logan Place is really simpler than, at a glance, might be supposed, and the construction and planting being once complete, the maintenance of neither ground would require special skill or much labor.

Respectfully Yours,

Fredk Law Olmsted
F. L. Olmsted & Co
Landscape Architects.