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View of a park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America

Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America

To Olmsted, a park was both a work of art and a necessity for urban life. Olmsted's efforts to preserve nature created an "environmental ethic" decades before the environmental movement became a force in American politics. With gorgeous cinematography, and compelling commentary this film presents the biography of a man whose parks and preservation are an essential part of American life.

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Frederick Law Olmsted - Preview
0:31
Premieres Friday, June 20, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.
The Campaign to Save the Olmsted Linear Park in Atlanta
3:58
The Preservation of an Olmsted Park in the Druid Hills suburb in Atlanta.
Changes and Challenges in Olmsted Parks
4:06
Olmsted feared that his parks would be ruined by intrusions of all sorts.
The Fall and Rise of Central Park
3:05
In the 1970s Central Park in New York City was neglected and misused.
Olmsted and Chicago
6:30
Olmsted designs a residential community, major parks, and the World’s Exposition.
The Best Planned City in the World
13:38
Developing the nation’s first park system and creating a park at Niagara Falls, NY.
Photography and Design in Olmsted’s Boston Parks
2:08
Olmsted pioneered the use of photography to show before, during, and after construction.
Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America Trailer
2:01
A biography of the man who made public parks an essential part of American life.
Louisville: From Olmsted to the 21st Century
3:24
A 4,000 acre is being built in the Olmsted tradition for the city of Louisville, Kentucky.
Buffalo's Richardson Olmsted Complex
8:46
The Richardson Olmsted Complex was designed by architect H.H. Richardson an Olmsted ally.
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