What does Fairmount Park, Riverside, CA and Central Park, NY have in common?

It's Olmstead Heritage!

Fredrick Law Olmstead (1822 to 1903) is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture. His legacy is amazing and his work, especially his design of Central Park, New York City, set a standard of excellence that continues to influence landscape architecture in the United States. 

He died in 1903, but his sons Fredrick Law Olmstead Jr and Robert Olmstead carried out his design principles in the creation of our very own Fairmount Park, Riverside, CA in 1911.

This Park had all the markings of a great Olmstead creation including the wonderful Montezuma Bald Cypress Trees you see in the first image of this post.

This park is very special to me because as a kid in the 1960's my Dad used to bring us here frequently and the thing I remember the most was the Baldwin 2-8-0 UP 6051 Locomotive out front that we used to be able to climb on. It has since been fenced off but is a treasured childhood memory for me.

The beautiful historic boat house...(waterside below)

...which has such an elegant Mission style design. (front below)

To Lake Fairmount which delights young ones with a generous amount of hungry ducks to feed...

..and beautiful majestic Cypress Trees.

Then just adjacent to that is the larger Lake Evans.

 This park is spectacular in design!

If you look closely you see Olmstead everywhere!!!
When the Sun hits this landscape at a certain times in the evening the colors turn ablaze and pictures cannot do the scenes justice!

It is a very relaxing place that has a little something for everyone, including history buffs like me!

I spoke with several of the locals and most had no clue of it's origin. Some were unimpressed..but some said "wow" to that bit of history. Lastly a pair of ladies that have lived there for 40 years knew all about the history and then some. They even told who planted those amazing Montezuma Bald Cypress Trees in the the 1st pic and that Rin Tin Tin lived right here just down the street.

Parks like this are historic and yet go unnoticed for what they really are!

 Next time you are you are in Riverside do yourself a favor and visit Fairmount Park and as you re-live the beautiful heritage known as Olmstead!

-Today on the Trail-