Olmsted 200

Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of landscape architecture, designed some of America’s most preeminent greenspaces: Central Park in New York City, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Emerald Necklace in Boston, the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, and the grounds of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C.

In 1892, while finishing the Biltmore Estate, Olmsted was invited to Atlanta by developer Joel Hurt to design his latest planned community, Druid Hills. The centerpiece of the neighborhood would be a series of linear parks along Ponce de Leon Avenue. It would be Olmsted’s last commission before his death in 1903.

As with all his designs, Olmsted’s main goal, no matter what and where he was working, was to attempt to change American society for the better. He used his landscape designs to promote harmony, health and social democracy and believed that parks and greenspace were a place for all people to come together, build community and connect on common ground.

A group of neighborhood organizations has come together to represent Druid Hills as part of the National Birthday Celebration for Olmsted’s 200th Birthday. The group is comprised of representatives and volunteers from Olmsted Linear Park Alliance, Druid Hills Civic Association, Emory Village Alliance, Olmsted Plein Air Invitational, Druid Hills Golf Club, South Fork Conservancy, The Frazier Center, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, The Lullwater Garden Club, Fernbank, Emory University, and the schools and churches within Druid Hills.

Olmsted’s 200th birthday will be celebrated at the spaces he designed across America this year. — Collin Kelley

EVENTS

A series of events are planned in April to commemorate the 200th birthday of Druid Hills designer Frederick Law Olmsted. Mark your calendar for these and be sure to visit atlantaolmsteadpark.org/olmsted200 to find even more by partner organizations.

Olmsted Plein Air Invitational

Painters will be setting up their easels around Intown from April 16 - 24 for the 8th annual Olmsted Plein Air Invitational. The painting extravaganza will offer a series of experiential and educational events for artists, collectors, and admirers. Painting sessions will be held in the invitational’s namesake, Olmsted Linear Park in Druid Hills. For more details, visit olmstedpleinair.com.

Olmsted 200 Tennis Tournament

6:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m. This is a mixed doubles event limited to 44 players each session, so register early to reserve your slot. Players will be partnered up by their USTA level unless specified otherwise. This is a fun, charitable event and each registrant will receive a swag bag. Food and drinks will also be available. Register at atlantaolmstedpark.org.

Olmsted Linear Park Artists Market

Head over to Dellwood Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 30 for great shopping from local artisans, kids’ activities and more.

Olmsted 200th Birthday Gala at Callanwolde

Celebrate Olmsted’s birthday in style on April 26 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at this black-tie optional soiree at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, 980 Briarcliff Road. The evening will featuring live jazz music from Joe Gransden and culinary treats by Zest, along with beer and wine options. The event will be both indoors and outdoors, with COVID-19 protocols in place. Tickets range from $125 to $500 and are available at Eventbrite.com.

Outdoor Concert at Emory Village

The 52nd annual Historic Druid Hills Fairview, which comes with a scandalous Home & Garden Tour coincides perfect- history. Eisterhold said C.S. Carnes, an acly with the Olmsted 200 cel- countant for the Southern ebration with a showcase Baptist Convention, bought of 12 of the neighborhood’s the home with embezzled most notable dwellings. funds that in today’s dollars

According to tour orga- would amount to more than nizer Kit Eisterhold, a real $12 million. estate advisor with Engel & Eisterhold described the Volkers Atlanta, this year’s Tudor-style “estate home” tour has some of Druid Hills’ For Tour & Ticket at 1741 S. Ponce, which facmost beautiful homes, in- information es Olmsted Linear Park, as a cluding the “Driving Miss “showstopper.” Daisy” house at 822 Lullwa- Tour hours are 1 to 5 p.m. ter Road. on April 29; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 30;

Now owned by Jim and Cyndy Roberts, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 1. Tickets are the Tudor-style home has been virtually $35 and available via Eventbrite. unchanged since it was built in 1920 and when it was used as the home of the title character in the Academy Award-winning film starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman. The Olmsted 200 Planning Committee would like to thank our

Eisterhold said another tour-stop not sponsors for their support in celebrating Frederick Law Olmsted to miss is the garden at 797 Springdale. “It’s famous in the neighborhood for having tens-of-thousands of bulbs planted Sr ’ s This 200th birthday! is a year-long celebration featuring an exciting line-up of and Japanese maples. Golf legend Bobby events that you do not want to miss. Jones was married in that garden.”

Famed architect Neel Reid designed T H A N K YO U TO O U R O L M ST E D 2 0 0 S P O N S O R S ! the French Manor home at 1348 Fairview, which Eisterhold calls “one of the finest in the neighborhood.” It was originally owned by an heir to Rich’s Department Store.

Another noted architect, Arthur Neil Robinson, designed the Tudor at 1296

822 Lullwater 1783 South Ponce

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