Last updated: October 28, 2023
Place
Saint Joseph Park System
Olmsted Archives
Quick Facts
Location:
Saint Joseph, MO
Significance:
Olmsted Designed Park
In 1916, John Charles Olmsted made his first visit to St. Joseph, Missouri. While there was some correspondence in the years between, it wasn’t until 1925 that the park board formally hired Olmsted Brothers to review park development projects for the area. With John Charles involved in several projects across the country, it was firm member and architect Percival Gallagher who traveled to St. Joseph’s for several days.
By April of 1925, Gallagher had sent a detailed report of his recommendations for St. Joseph, as well as a proposal for Olmsted Brothers to provide working drawings and supervise construction. Almost immediately after receiving this proposal, it was rejected, and another architect was hired to supervise the improvement of the park system.
Olmsted Brothers were turned down because of their cost of construction; Olmsted and Gallagher calculated that they would need $30,000, while their competition only asked for $11,500. When it came to designing park systems, John Charles believed “A quiet drive or stroll in a large park, or in the country, with perhaps a family picnic under the trees, would be far more restful and therefore more rational than to rush off by train to some Coney Island pleasure resort, with its various artificial attractions.”
By April of 1925, Gallagher had sent a detailed report of his recommendations for St. Joseph, as well as a proposal for Olmsted Brothers to provide working drawings and supervise construction. Almost immediately after receiving this proposal, it was rejected, and another architect was hired to supervise the improvement of the park system.
Olmsted Brothers were turned down because of their cost of construction; Olmsted and Gallagher calculated that they would need $30,000, while their competition only asked for $11,500. When it came to designing park systems, John Charles believed “A quiet drive or stroll in a large park, or in the country, with perhaps a family picnic under the trees, would be far more restful and therefore more rational than to rush off by train to some Coney Island pleasure resort, with its various artificial attractions.”