Hartford -- Bushnell Park

Object Details

General note: The two images consist of views of the park and the State Capitol. The Park, approved in 1854, became the country's first planned park financed with public money. The idea was developed through the efforts of Reverend Horace Bushnell. The park, however, was not built until six years later. Bushnell's neighbor and friend, Frederick Law Olmsted, was busy with Central Park in New York, but suggested Jacob Weidenmann as the landscape architect. Weidenmann's 1861 plan focused on informal gardens and walks using plant groupings to screen city buildings and industry. Architectural features, such as the Civil War Memorial Arch (1886), the Capitol (1876), Corning Fountain (1899), the Carousel (1974) and the Performance Pavilion (1995) were added. In the 1940's the Park River was buried and its bridges were demolished. A major transformation in the park occurred at this time when the firm of Olmsted and Olmsted of Brookline, Massachusettes was retained to assist the city in redesigning the Park.; Persons associated with the property and garden include: Jacob Weidenmann (landscape architect, 1861); The Olmsted Firm (landscape architects); and Rev. Horace Bushnell (developer).

Creator: Bushnell, Horace, 1802-1876 (developer)
Landscape architect: Weidenmann, Jacob; Olmsted Brothers; Olmsted, Frederick Law, 1822-1903; Olmsted, Olmsted, and Eliot
Creator: Connecticut State Capitol
Collection Creator: McFarland, J. Horace (John Horace), 1859-1948; American Rose Society

Place: Connecticut -- Hartford; Bushnell Park (Hartford, Conn.); United States of America -- Connecticut -- Hartford County -- Hartford

Creator: Bushnell, Horace, 1802-1876 (developer)
Landscape architect: Weidenmann, Jacob; Olmsted Brothers; Olmsted, Frederick Law, 1822-1903; Olmsted, Olmsted, and Eliot
Creator: Connecticut State Capitol

See more items in: J. Horace McFarland Company collection; J. Horace McFarland Company collection / Series 1: Garden Images / United States / Connecticut

Collection Citation: Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, J. Horace McFarland Company Collection.

Collection Rights: Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Restrictions: Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Related Materials: Records related to this site can be found at the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Olmsted Job Number 00801, Bushnell Park.