Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site


Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation's foremost parkmaker. Olmsted moved his home to suburban Boston in 1883 and established the world's first full-scale professional office for the practice of landscape design. During the next century, his sons and successors perpetuated Olmsted's design ideals, philosophy, and influence.

Site is located on the southwest corner of Warren and Dudley Streets in Brookline, south of Route 9, near the Brookline Reservoir. Site is 0.7 miles from the Brookline Hills MBTA stop on the Green Line, D Branch.

  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Museum Exhibits

  • Landscape Design
  • Schools and Education
  • Wars and Conflicts
  • Civil War

Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

Fairsted

Fairsted, the home and office of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

Drafting Table

Dark wood box with four shallow drawers on large wooden table with blueprint

A box of colored pencils and a draftsmen's handbook sit on a table in the drafting room. These materials reflect the period during which Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. was the senior partner in the Brookline, MA landscape architecture firm.

The Hollow

A shaded bench and plants in a sunken garden surrounded by bushes

Landscape Architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Hollow on his Brookline, MA property to be a peaceful, picturesque sunken garden.