Last updated: May 24, 2024
Place
Bristol County Court House
Olmsted Archives, Job #01727, Taunton, MA
Quick Facts
When Taunton, Massachusetts was planning a new courthouse for their city, Taunton-born architect Frank Irving Cooper was the first man to be hired. On behalf of the County Board of Commissioners, Cooper began corresponding with Olmsted Brothers, hoping to hire them to design the grounds around the courthouse.
Olmsted Brothers would correspond with Cooper for several years about landscaping plans for what would be known as the Bristol County Superior Courthouse. On January 31st, 1894, Olmsted Brothers wrote to Cooper stating that they would be making a preliminary visit to the site, to better work out a plan as well as determine what their fees would be. By March, John Charles Olmsted had made his visit to Taunton, and they began planning. In June they informed Cooper that planting of the grounds would begin that Fall.
By November of that year, Taunton Commissioners had made changes to the Olmsted plan, including hiring their own nursery for the plants. Olmsted Brothers were not made aware of this change until Cooper wrote to inform them. On November 24th, Olmsted Brothers wrote to Cooper stating “If you will send us a copy of the contract and specifications as signed by the Commissioners and the nursery company, we will, if the Commissioners desire it, visit the ground in order to see whether, in our opinion, the contractor is living up to the contract. If we are not asked to do so, we do not see that we are in any way connected with the work now going on,”. Planting at Bristol County Superior Courthouse followed Olmsted Brothers plans, and the Olmsted’s formed a close bond with Cooper, even helping landscape Cooper’s own property the following year.
Source: "Curious Taunton: How is Central Park's Frederick Law Olmsted Connected with Our City," Taunton Daily Gazette
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Brothers would correspond with Cooper for several years about landscaping plans for what would be known as the Bristol County Superior Courthouse. On January 31st, 1894, Olmsted Brothers wrote to Cooper stating that they would be making a preliminary visit to the site, to better work out a plan as well as determine what their fees would be. By March, John Charles Olmsted had made his visit to Taunton, and they began planning. In June they informed Cooper that planting of the grounds would begin that Fall.
By November of that year, Taunton Commissioners had made changes to the Olmsted plan, including hiring their own nursery for the plants. Olmsted Brothers were not made aware of this change until Cooper wrote to inform them. On November 24th, Olmsted Brothers wrote to Cooper stating “If you will send us a copy of the contract and specifications as signed by the Commissioners and the nursery company, we will, if the Commissioners desire it, visit the ground in order to see whether, in our opinion, the contractor is living up to the contract. If we are not asked to do so, we do not see that we are in any way connected with the work now going on,”. Planting at Bristol County Superior Courthouse followed Olmsted Brothers plans, and the Olmsted’s formed a close bond with Cooper, even helping landscape Cooper’s own property the following year.
Source: "Curious Taunton: How is Central Park's Frederick Law Olmsted Connected with Our City," Taunton Daily Gazette
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr