Architect, Medical Pioneer. He is considered the foremost American landscape artist of the 19th Century, and was largely responsible for the creation and present formation of New York City, New York's Central Park, of which he was Superintendent and chief architect. His landscape architectural work included Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Riverside Park in Manhattan, Chicago's South Side Park, and the grounds of the United States Capitol building. In 1892 he took over the project of laying out the grounds of the 1893 World Fair in Chicago when its first architect died. Olmstead completed the grounds in time for the Fair, which is now known as Jackson Park. During the Civil War, he resigned his post of Central Park superintendent to accept the post of Secretary General of the United States Sanitary Commission. In that capacity, he helped facilitate the Commission's work, which involved the distribution of tons of food and medical supplies to wounded soldiers and war refugees, evacuating wounded from battle areas, inspecting and maintaining standards in military hospitals, stocking and supplying hospital kitchens, and recruiting and maintaining thousands of nurses. The work he and the many workers under him saved thousands of soldiers' lives. He headed the Commission until 1863, when the exertions of his service caused him ill health, and he was forced to resign. Despite all his architectural accomplishments, Frederick Law Olmstead considered his Sanitary Commission position work the most important work of his life.
Architect, Medical Pioneer. He is considered the foremost American landscape artist of the 19th Century, and was largely responsible for the creation and present formation of New York City, New York's Central Park, of which he was Superintendent and chief architect. His landscape architectural work included Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Riverside Park in Manhattan, Chicago's South Side Park, and the grounds of the United States Capitol building. In 1892 he took over the project of laying out the grounds of the 1893 World Fair in Chicago when its first architect died. Olmstead completed the grounds in time for the Fair, which is now known as Jackson Park. During the Civil War, he resigned his post of Central Park superintendent to accept the post of Secretary General of the United States Sanitary Commission. In that capacity, he helped facilitate the Commission's work, which involved the distribution of tons of food and medical supplies to wounded soldiers and war refugees, evacuating wounded from battle areas, inspecting and maintaining standards in military hospitals, stocking and supplying hospital kitchens, and recruiting and maintaining thousands of nurses. The work he and the many workers under him saved thousands of soldiers' lives. He headed the Commission until 1863, when the exertions of his service caused him ill health, and he was forced to resign. Despite all his architectural accomplishments, Frederick Law Olmstead considered his Sanitary Commission position work the most important work of his life.
Bio by: RPD2
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