Last updated: June 5, 2024
Place
City Park
Olmsted Archives
Quick Facts
By the early 1870’s New Orleans, and the rest of the country, was noticing how successful Central Park was becoming, and it hadn’t even been completed yet! City Officials in New Orleans knew they wanted to hire Frederick Law Olmsted to design a park for their city. Due to many cities having that same thought, Olmsted sent two employees to New Orleans to work on City Park.
Two engineers on staff for the Olmsted Firm arrived in Louisiana: John Bogart and Colonel John Yapp Culyer. Bogart had been an engineer on staff at both Central Park and Prospect Park, while Culyer, also an engineer at both Central Park and Prospect Park, also followed Olmsted to D.C. to help form the United States Sanitary Commission.
While in New Orleans, Bogart took notes on the sites condition and created a plan for the City to reference. The two engineers received the first half of their fee, but the Park Board refused to pay the rest, believing that their plan was inadequate.
Obviously frustrated, Bogart and Culyer sued for the remaining money. Despite loosing in a lower level court, they prevailed and received their compensation after brining it up in Louisiana’s Supreme Court.
The lawsuit certainly took some excitement out of citizens and the prospect for a new park. It wouldn’t be till the early 1930’s that the Olmsted name would return to City Park, this time as Olmsted Brothers.
Among their work at City Park, Olmsted Brothers focused heavily on designing the area surrounding Popp Fountain, a memorial to local lumber tycoon John Popp. Though the Popp family donated the money to the City of New Orleans, they requested Olmsted Brothers assist in its design, wanting the best for their namesake.
Source: "New Orleans City Park," The Cultural Landscape Foundation
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr