Duke's Landscape Architecture

[Faustus]

Holy Cow,
I stumbled across by sheer accident tonight (it's not like I tune to C-Span3 every evening) a series of recorded talks about the Olmsted brothers landscape architectural firm, and among that, I just finished watching an entire hour's presentation by Mark Hough, current landscape architect for Duke, about the creation of Duke's grounds and buildings - for me, anyway, a truly fascinating affair. I grew up in Durham, still have family there (and we own land nearby), lived on west campus for 3 years (and the departed, unlamented central campus for one), love the place architecturally, but I never, ever, heard one word before about the famous Olmsted brothers having anything to do with Duke, yet for over 40 years they were part of it all. If you have any interest in the construction of Duke, not just from the 1920s, although it's mostly about that, but all through to currently, you can watch this anytime on the C-Span website. If you go to their American History TV page, it's currently right on the front page, if you scroll down a bit. I highly, highly recommend this.

[OldPhiKap]

Holy Cow,
I stumbled across by sheer accident tonight (it's not like I tune to C-Span3 every evening) a series of recorded talks about the Olmsted brothers landscape architectural firm, and among that, I just finished watching an entire hour's presentation by Mark Hough, current landscape architect for Duke, about the creation of Duke's grounds and buildings - for me, anyway, a truly fascinating affair. I grew up in Durham, still have family there (and we own land nearby), lived on west campus for 3 years (and the departed, unlamented central campus for one), love the place architecturally, but I never, ever, heard one word before about the famous Olmsted brothers having anything to do with Duke, yet for over 40 years they were part of it all. If you have any interest in the construction of Duke, not just from the 1920s, although it's mostly about that, but all through to currently, you can watch this anytime on the C-Span website. If you go to their American History TV page, it's currently right on the front page, if you scroll down a bit. I highly, highly recommend this.

I highly recommend Devil in the White City, about the 1983 World’s Fair and America’s first serial killer. Frederick Olmsted and his work is featured heavily in the book.

Really fascinating read.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I highly recommend Devil in the White City, about the 1983 World’s Fair and America’s first serial killer. Frederick Olmsted and his work is featured heavily in the book.

Really fascinating read.

Dyslexia strikes again!

[OldPhiKap]

Dyslexia strikes again!

Doh!

[Acymetric]

I highly recommend Devil in the White City, about the 1983 World’s Fair and America’s first serial killer. Frederick Olmsted and his work is featured heavily in the book.

Really fascinating read.

I heartily second this recommendation.

[ClemmonsDevil]

I highly recommend Devil in the White City, about the 1983 World’s Fair and America’s first serial killer. Frederick Olmsted and his work is featured heavily in the book.

Really fascinating read.

Unbelievable book.

[OldPhiKap]

And as pointed out above - it was the Chicago 1893 World’s Fair, not 1983.

Erik Larson is an excellent author.



As for the Olmsteds’ involvement at Duke, that is news to me. Both the official Gardens site and Wikipedia (FWIW) credit Ellen Biddle Shipman as the landscape designer:

https://gardens.duke.edu/about/history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_P._Duke_Gardens

Wiki similarly does not list anything from Duke as an Olmsted project:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olmsted_works


Not saying he was incorrect — but I’d be curious to learn the source of his info.

[budwom]

The Olmsteads did an unfathomable amount of work, their legacy is everywhere.

[duke74]

The Olmsteads did an unfathomable amount of work, their legacy is everywhere.

My section of Forest Hills, Forest Hills Gardens, was landscaped by the son. This is where the US Tennis Open was played before it became corporate and moved to Flushing Meadows under Mayor Dinkins.

“Forest Hills Gardens was one of the United States’ first planned communities, and strict covenants have allowed it to retain the original look and feel of the community that began development in 1909, under the hands of architect Grosvenor Atterbury and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., whose father helped designed Central Park.”

Here’s the full article. https://www.mansionglobal.com/amp/articles/forest-hills-gardens-is-a-charming-tudor-enclave-in-new-york-city-100637

[Nepos]

And as pointed out above - it was the Chicago 1893 World’s Fair, not 1983.

Erik Larson is an excellent author.



As for the Olmsteds’ involvement at Duke, that is news to me. Both the official Gardens site and Wikipedia (FWIW) credit Ellen Biddle Shipman as the landscape designer:

https://gardens.duke.edu/about/history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_P._Duke_Gardens

Wiki similarly does not list anything from Duke as an Olmsted project:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olmsted_works


Not saying he was incorrect — but I’d be curious to learn the source of his info.

Shipman designed the terraces at the center of Duke Gardens, but I don't know of her having involvement with other landscaping on the campus. See below for info about how the Olmsted firm was involvement with the initial landscape designs.

https://facilities.duke.edu/campus/landscape.

"The highly respected landscape architect firm Olmsted Brothers was hired to assist the architect in laying out the quadrangles, roads and pedestrian circulation system, along with the landscaping for both East Campus and West Campus."

[OldPhiKap]

Shipman designed the terraces at the center of Duke Gardens, but I don't know of her having involvement with other landscaping on the campus. See below for info about how the Olmsted firm was involvement with the initial landscape designs.

https://facilities.duke.edu/campus/landscape.

"The highly respected landscape architect firm Olmsted Brothers was hired to assist the architect in laying out the quadrangles, roads and pedestrian circulation system, along with the landscaping for both East Campus and West Campus."

Thanks, very cool to learn!

I imagine their plans are in the rare records room in Perkins. We went there back in the day to investigate the campus tunnel system. (Don’t ask why).

[brevity]

I highly recommend Devil in the White City, about the 1983 World’s Fair and America’s first serial killer. Frederick Olmsted and his work is featured heavily in the book.

Really fascinating read.

Deadline: Keanu Reeves In Talks To Star In Hulu’s Series Adaptation Of ‘The Devil In The White City’ From Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Todd Field & Sam Shaw

The Devil in the White City tells the true story of two men, an architect and a serial killer, whose fates were forever linked by The Chicago World’s Fair of 1983. The project would mark Reeves’ first major U.S. TV role.

"Whoa," said Reeves. "1983 was a long time ago. I was still a teenager back then. But now I'm going to be playing an older person in the year 1983. Whoa."

[OldPhiKap]

Deadline: Keanu Reeves In Talks To Star In Hulu’s Series Adaptation Of ‘The Devil In The White City’ From Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Todd Field & Sam Shaw

Keanu Reeves is my spirit animal.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Keanu Reeves is my spirit animal.

The dumbo octopus is my spirit animal.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Keanu Reeves is my spirit animal.

Since I believe you are a lawyer, I always kind of thought of you more as an Alex Winter (William "Bill" S. Preston, Esq.) than Keanu (Ted "Theodore" Logan). With a little bit of George Carlin mixed in.

[Neals384]

I highly recommend Devil in the White City, about the 1983 World’s Fair and America’s first serial killer. Frederick Olmsted and his work is featured heavily in the book.

Really fascinating read.

Second that emotion.