| 1874 |
|
| January |
Olmsted inspects U.S. Capitol Grounds |
| February 17 |
Committee on Legislation of New York City Department of Public Parks organized to lobby against legislation to authorize the Department of Public Works to construct Riverside Avenue. |
| March |
Olmsted offers to make general plan of the U.S. Capitol grounds for $1,500 plus expenses: accepted by the committee on public grounds and buildings |
| April |
Olmsted provides plan and report for grounds of U.S. Hotel in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. |
| May 9 |
Henry Stebbins elected president of New York City Board of Commissioners of Department of Public Parks |
| May 14 |
Olmsted’s report to Montgomery Meigs on Jeffersonville Depot, Indiana |
| June 9 |
Olmsted submits “Skeleton Plan” for U.S. Capitol grounds |
| July 8 |
Olmsted agrees to assist Charles S. Sargent in making the Arnold Arboretum part of the Boston park system |
| September 28 |
Olmsted’s plan for U.S. Capitol approved by Justin Morrill, Edward Clark, and O. E. Babcock |
| November |
William H. Wickham of Tammany Hall elected mayor of New York City; Samuel Tilden elected governor of New York State, William Dorsheimer elected lieutenant governor |
| November 21 |
Olmsted submits report on park for Mount Royal, Montreal |
| December 5 |
Olmsted’s article “The National Capitol” published in New York Daily Tribune
|
[598 ] |
| December 15 |
Olmsted submits plan for the improvement of Niagara Square, Buffalo |
| 1875 |
|
|
Olmsted and engineer George Kent Radford draw up plans for Parkside subdivision next to Delaware Park, Buffalo |
| January 5 |
William R. Martin appointed to New York City park board |
| January 15 |
Olmsted presents report on Riverside Avenue and Park to New York City park board |
| January 20 |
New York City park board adopts Olmsted’s Riverside Park and Avenue plan |
| March 3 |
Congress approves Olmsted plans for U.S. Capitol grounds and terraces |
| March 5 |
Henry Koster suspended as captain of Central Park Keepers |
| c. March 16 |
Olmsted revises plan of Riverside Park and Avenue, adding bridle path to promenade section |
| March 19 |
Olmsted regains control over Central Park labor force |
| May |
Report to New York legislature by Senate Finance Committee criticizing cost and construction of New Capitol |
| June 1 |
Olmsted submits report and plans for Schuylkill Arsenal, Philadelphia |
| June |
New Capitol Commission created by New York state legislature, with William Dorsheimer as chairman |
| July 15 |
Appointment of the New Capitol advisory board of Olmsted, Richardson and Eidlitz |
| September 6 |
New York City park board reinstates Olmsted’s plan of organization for gardeners on Central Park |
| Fall |
John C. Olmsted begins work as draftsman and apprentice |
| October 7 |
Olmsted submits plan for Mount Royal approach roads |
| October 26 |
Olmsted examines sites being considered for Boston parks |
| November |
Olmsted corresponds with Thomas Hill on landscaping of railroad through Crawford Notch in the White Mountains |
| November 5 |
Olmsted and engineer J. J. R. Croes are authorized to plan street and rapid transit systems for 23rd and 24th wards of New York City (the Bronx) |
| Winter 1875–76 |
Construction of road up Mount Royal |
| 1876 |
|
| January 1 |
Olmsted submits plans and report for Buffalo City Hall |
| February 28 |
Olmsted submits plan for laying out summer community at Chautauqua Point on Lake Chautauqua, New York |
| March-April |
Bill to create one-commissioner New York City park board before NY legislature: fails of passage |
| [599] |
| March 2 |
Report of the advisory board to the New York State New Capitol Commission |
| March 11 |
Plans of advisory board for the New Capitol published in American Architect and Building News
|
| March 23 |
$70,000 error in accounts of New York Department of Public Parks discovered—construction staff laid off |
| March 29 |
Remonstrance of New York Chapter of AIA against plans of advisory board for the New Capitol |
| March 31-April 2 |
Olmsted makes a two-day inspection of proposed Boston park sites |
| April 8 |
Olmsted submits report on proposed sites for Boston parks |
| May 6 |
William R. Martin elected president of New York City park board |
| May 31 |
New York State Survey Commission meets with Olmsted as member |
| June |
Plans for the New Capitol by advisory board approved |
| June 14 |
City Comptroller Andrew H. Green withholds Olmsted’s salary as landscape architect of the Department of Public Parks because of his appointment to State Survey Commission |
| July 1 |
Thomas Fuller dismissed as Resident Architect of New Capitol |
| July |
Olmsted plans reservoir and formal promenade in Glades section of Mount Royal |
| August 4 |
Olmsted is reinstated as landscape architect to Department of Public Parks |
| August 9 |
Olmsted submits report on improvements for Tompkins Square New York City |
| August 10 |
Olmsted resigns from State Survey Commission |
| September 1 |
Olmsted, Eidlitz and Richardson officially replace Fuller as architects of the New Capitol |
| September 12 |
Firm of Eidlitz, Richardson & Co., with Olmsted as treasurer, is formed to facilitate work on the New Capitol |
| November 4 |
Presidential Election: uncertainty of outcome lasts until March 1877; in New York State, Lucius Robinson elected governor, William Dorsheimer lieutenant governor |
| November 15 |
First report by Olmsted and J. J. R. Croes to New York City park board on 23rd and 24th wards (the Bronx) |
| November 21 |
Report and plan by Olmsted and Croes for 24th Ward west of Riverdale Road |
| November 22 |
New York City park board appoints James C. Aldrich superintending engineer of Riverside Avenue project |
| December 7 |
John Kelly replaces Andrew H. Green as Controller of New York City |
| December 23 |
Olmsted submits report on grounds of Washington Monument, Baltimore |
| [600] |
| 1877 |
|
| January-March |
With Thomas Wisedell, Olmsted prepares revised plans for squares north and south of Washington Monument, Baltimore |
| January |
New remonstrance against plans for New Capitol of Eidlitz, Richardson & Co. submitted to state legislature by numerous citizens; joint committee of legislature begins hearings |
| February 28 |
Submittal by Olmsted and Croes of plan for section of 23rd and 24th wards between Riverdale Road and Broadway |
| February 28 |
Group of architects testify before the joint committee against plans for New Capitol of Eidlitz, Richardson and Co.: they include George B. Post, Richard Morris Hunt, Napoleon Le Brun, Henry Dudley, and Detlef
Lienau |
| March 6 |
Olmsted presents his testimony on plans for the New Capitol to joint committee of New York State legislature |
| March 20 |
Olmsted and Croes submit report and plan for steam transit routes for 23rd and 24th Wards |
| March 26 |
Olmsted prepares counter-remonstrance concerning the New Capitol |
| April 11 |
Olmsted and Croes submit report for district of 23rd and 24th wards west of Jerome Avenue |
| April 25 |
New York legislature directs that the New Capitol is to be completed in the original “Italian Renaissance” style employed by Thomas Fuller |
| May 15 |
Unveiling of Fitz-Greene Halleck monument in Central Park |
| June 20 |
Olmsted and Croes submit plans for Central and Hunt’s Point districts of 23rd and 24th wards |
| July |
Railroad strikes isolate New York City for several days |
| September 28–29 |
Olmsted presents two lectures in Montreal on his plan for Mount Royal |
| c. October |
Olmsted suffers break-down in his health |
| October 31 |
Olmsted and Croes submit report for Central District of the 23rd and 24th wards |
| December 12 |
New York City controller John Kelly withholds Olmsted’s salary |
| December 26 |
New York park board grants Olmsted three-month leave of absence for reasons of health |
| 1878 |
|
| January 5 |
New York park board resolves to discontinue Bureau of Design and Superintendence, abolishes its offices, and appoints Olmsted Consulting Landscape Architect |
| January 8 |
Olmsted sails to England: travels for three months in England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and France |
| January 16 |
William R. Martin removed from New York City park board, James F. Wenman replaces him as president of the board |
| [601] |
| January 22 |
A petition by 166 taxpayers and citizens of New York City is submitted to the park board protesting Olmsted’s dismissal |
| January 23 |
New York park board receives letter from Olmsted, read by Howard A. Martin, requesting that action on his dismissal be postponed until his return from Europe. The board removes him as Landscape Architect of the
Department of Public Parks and confirms his appointment as Consulting Landscape Architect without salary |
| March 1 |
Boston park commissioners vote to hold a design competition for Back Bay park |
| March |
James C. Aldrich and J. J. R. Croes dismissed by New York park board |
| April 29 |
Olmsted returns from England |
| May 6 |
Charles Dalton requests that Olmsted come to Boston to review competition submittals for Back Bay park |
| May 13 |
Olmsted refuses to participate in judging Back Bay park plans |
| June 3 |
Hermann Grundel awarded prize for Back Bay park design competition |
| Summer |
Olmsted and family living at E. L. Godkin’s in Cambridge, Mass. |
| June 28 |
Olmsted makes presentation to Connecticut State Capitol Board, goes on to draw up plans for grounds of the new Capitol |
| October 24 |
Olmsted submits first preliminary plans for Back Bay Fens to Boston park commissioners |
| December 10 |
Olmsted enters into formal contract with Boston park commission to provide preliminary plan and construction drawings for Back Bay park |
| December |
Olmsted draws up plan for subdivision near Newark, N.J., for John Watts Kearny |
| December 26 |
Report by independent commission of engineers criticizes the construction of Riverside Avenue |
| 1879 |
|
| c. January |
Olmsted visits property of John C. Phillips in Beverly, Mass. |
| January 8 |
Olmsted completes writing and sets galley proofs of his review of policies of New York Department of Public Parks since his dismissal in January 1878 |
| January 9 |
Governor Lucius Robinson calls for creation of a commission to confer with Ontario authorities concerning creation of public reservation at Niagara Falls |
| May 19 |
New York State legislature instructs State Survey Commission to report on measures to adopt for creation of Niagara reservation: commission directs Olmsted and James T. Gardner to prepare a plan |
| May 28 |
Olmsted and Gardner visit Niagara Falls |
| Summer |
Olmsted and family living at Allens’ on Dudley Street, Brookline |
| [602] |
| Summer |
Thomas Wised ell becomes ill and is late in providing working drawings for summer house on U.S. Capitol grounds |
| Summer |
Olmsted prepares plans for Arnold Arboretum |
| July |
Olmsted spends three weeks examining site for resort and hotel at Rockaway Point on Long Island |
| September |
Olmsted presents plans for grounds of Barthold Schlesinger estate in Brookline, Mass. |
| September 27 |
Olmsted presents proposal for Niagara Reservation to Ontario and New York State commissioners |
| 1880 |
|
| c. January |
Olmsted engages H. H. Richardson to assist in designing Boylston Street bridge and other bridges in Back Bay Fens, Boston |
| March 29 |
General Court of Massachusetts authorizes Boston park commissioners to acquire the land of the Arnold Arboretum from Harvard College |
| March 30 |
Publication of Special Report of New York State Survey on the preservation of scenery of Niagara Falls; includes petition signed by 268 leading citizens of U.S., Canada, and England collected by Olmsted and Charles
Eliot Norton |
| April 1 |
Bill to authorize purchase of land for a public reservation at Niagara Falls is introduced in the state legislature |
| May 1 |
Olmsted sends John C. Phillips plans for his estate on Wenham Lake, Beverly, Mass. |
| May 3 |
Boston Board of Aldermen authorizes park commissioners to work out terms with Harvard College for incorporating Arnold Arboretum into Boston park system |
| June |
U.S. Senate refuses to provide appropriation for construction of Capitol terraces |
| Summer |
Olmsted and family living at Aliens’ on Dudley St., Brookline |
| September 10 |
Olmsted delivers lecture, “The Justifying Value of a Public Park,” to American Social Science Association meeting at Saratoga, N.Y. |
| c. September 25 |
Olmsted visits Chicago, reviews condition of South Park |
| November |
Plan by Olmsted showing land to be acquired by city of Boston adjacent to Arnold Arboretum |
| November 29 |
Olmsted and Charles S. Sargent submit report on planting for Commonwealth Avenue in Boston |
| December |
Olmsted submits proposal for treatment of Muddy River as part of Boston park system |
| 1881 |
|
| May 17 |
Olmsted submits report on site for park in West Roxbury, Mass. |
| May 30 |
Final efforts in New York state legislature to pass bill creating Niagara Reservation: not successful |
| [603] |
| July |
Olmsted and Charles Eliot Norton engage Henry Norman to write for newspapers on proposed Niagara Reservation |
| June-October |
Olmsted begins planning grounds for cottages of Montauk Association |
| July 2 |
President James Garfield shot |
| July |
Olmsted writes “Influence” for use by George W. Curtis in civil service reform campaign |
| August 15 |
New York City park board appoints Aneurin Jones, a Welsh carpenter, as Superintendent of Parks |
| Summer-Fall |
Olmsted and family living at Mrs. Perrin’s, Walnut St. Brookline; leases New York house at 209 W. 46th Street and spends winter in Brookline—permanent move from New York |
| August-September |
Publication of Henry Norman’s newspaper articles on Niagara Falls |
| October |
Olmsted publishes Mount Royal. Montreal
|
| November |
Olmsted writes Charles Francis Adams, Jr., supporting creation of Merry-Mount Park, Quincy, Mass.; works with Adams and H. H. Richardson on Thomas Crane Memorial Library in Quincy, Massachusetts |
| November 21 |
Death of stepson Owen Frederick Olmsted |
| November 19 |
New York park board votes to appoint Calvert Vaux as Superintending Architect |
| December |
Olmsted suffers injury, is incapacitated for short time |
| December |
Olmsted draws up plans and report for Industrial Home School in Washington, D.C. |
| December 27 |
City Council of Boston authorizes purchase of Arnold Arboretum and leasing of it back to Harvard University |
| 1882 |
|
| January 2 |
Proposal for plantings along Canal Street SW to counteract poisonous miasma at U.S. Capitol |
| January 11 |
Olmsted appears before joint meeting of the Senate and House committees on public buildings and grounds and shows drawings and elevations of his proposed terrace for the U.S. Capitol |
| February 13 & 15 |
Bills are introduced in the New York State legislature to replace the park board of New York City with a single Superintendent of Parks, who would be appointed by the mayor with no provision for confirmation by the
Board of Aldermen |
| February 17 |
Olmsted submits proofs of printed circular on proposed U.S. Capitol terrace to Edward Clark |
| c. February 25 |
Olmsted publishes Spoils of the Park
|
printable version