Last updated: May 24, 2024
Place
Boulder, Colorado Improvement Association
Olmsted Archives, Job #03300, Boulder, CO
Quick Facts
In 1903, a group of philanthropic citizens joined forces to promote “the improvement of Boulder in health, growth, cleanliness, prosperity and attractiveness.” The group they formed was known as the Boulder City Improvement Association (BCIA) and four years after their founding, they sought the services of Olmsted Brothers.
Writing to Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., the BCIA wrote that “we are a small but ambitious little town…situated 30 miles northeast of Denver. We want advice, and the best obtainable, as to how to improve our city as to Parks, Boulevards and general plans for Civic betterment.”
Olmsted Brothers’ first prepared report for the city, The Improvement of Boulder, Colorado, came out November 1908, six months after Olmsted Jr. had made a brief visit to the area. The BCIA received thirty pages of dense text including an illustrated map. The report covered details like street trees and light, as well as the broad idea of limiting manufacturing in the city and the use of fine homes.
Besides work on the landscape, Olmsted Jr. also addressed the progressive era themes of a good government, the appropriate use of police power, and taxation to support the development of infrastructure. Olmsted Brothers’ plan also included planting plans for public schools, work on sewers and drainage systems, and a grand scheme for park improvements that would stretch over eighty city blocks, with work continuing into the 1920s.
Source: "Boulder, Colorado Improvement Society," Olmsted Online
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Network
Writing to Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., the BCIA wrote that “we are a small but ambitious little town…situated 30 miles northeast of Denver. We want advice, and the best obtainable, as to how to improve our city as to Parks, Boulevards and general plans for Civic betterment.”
Olmsted Brothers’ first prepared report for the city, The Improvement of Boulder, Colorado, came out November 1908, six months after Olmsted Jr. had made a brief visit to the area. The BCIA received thirty pages of dense text including an illustrated map. The report covered details like street trees and light, as well as the broad idea of limiting manufacturing in the city and the use of fine homes.
Besides work on the landscape, Olmsted Jr. also addressed the progressive era themes of a good government, the appropriate use of police power, and taxation to support the development of infrastructure. Olmsted Brothers’ plan also included planting plans for public schools, work on sewers and drainage systems, and a grand scheme for park improvements that would stretch over eighty city blocks, with work continuing into the 1920s.
Source: "Boulder, Colorado Improvement Society," Olmsted Online
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Network