Last updated: June 8, 2024
Place
Mill Creek Park
Olmsted Archives
Quick Facts
In 1891, a Youngstown Ohio native wrote to his state’s legislature, enabling the establishment of a park in his hometown. The state approved his request and began reaching out to the most reputable landscape architecture firm in the country.
It was Charles Eliot who received the first call from Youngstown about designing a park. In 1892, Eliot wrote to Youngstown Park Commissioners stating that “your gorge is one of the finest park scenes in America and deserved more careful handling”.
Until his untimely death in 1897, Charles Eliot assisted in laying out drives and trails highlighting the most dramatic natural elements of the 440-acre gorge. A close friend of Eliot’s, Warren H. Manning would be the next consulting landscape architect at Mill Creek Park.
After being a member of the Olmsted Firm for nearly eight years, Manning left to start his own landscape architecture practice, and would be called on by Youngstown from 1920 to 1932. Manning’s design would extend the park significantly to include Bear Dens and abandoned sandstone quarry sites. Manning also included two more sandstone bridges and a shelter for the park.
In 1948, Olmsted Brothers was again called on by Mill Creek Park, this time to add a second active sports area, which would be over 65-acres. In their design, Olmsted Brothers included open play areas surrounded by wooded margins.
Source: "Mill Creek Park," Society of Architectural Historians
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
It was Charles Eliot who received the first call from Youngstown about designing a park. In 1892, Eliot wrote to Youngstown Park Commissioners stating that “your gorge is one of the finest park scenes in America and deserved more careful handling”.
Until his untimely death in 1897, Charles Eliot assisted in laying out drives and trails highlighting the most dramatic natural elements of the 440-acre gorge. A close friend of Eliot’s, Warren H. Manning would be the next consulting landscape architect at Mill Creek Park.
After being a member of the Olmsted Firm for nearly eight years, Manning left to start his own landscape architecture practice, and would be called on by Youngstown from 1920 to 1932. Manning’s design would extend the park significantly to include Bear Dens and abandoned sandstone quarry sites. Manning also included two more sandstone bridges and a shelter for the park.
In 1948, Olmsted Brothers was again called on by Mill Creek Park, this time to add a second active sports area, which would be over 65-acres. In their design, Olmsted Brothers included open play areas surrounded by wooded margins.
Source: "Mill Creek Park," Society of Architectural Historians
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr