Object Details
- General note
- The Boston Public Garden was established in 1837 and encompasses about 24 acres in the heart of the city. Along with the Boston Common it forms the northern end of the Emerald Necklace, Frederick Law Olmsted's grand design for a string of parks running from downtown Boston to Franklin Park. The park developed informally until 1859, when a plan by George F. Meacham was finally selected to provide a more formal design. City engineer James Slade and forester John Galvin made modifications to the plan and laid out the paths and plantings. A highlight of the design is the pond or lagoon, home to the iconic Swan Boats, which began operating in 1877. Parterres, other flower beds and planting areas, statues, and numerous specimen trees are featured landscape elements. The Public Garden was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
- Persons associated with the garden include George F. Meacham (landscape architect, 1859); James Slade (civil engineer, ca. 1860); and John Galvin (forester, ca. 1860).
- Landscape architect
- Meacham, George F., 1831-1917
- Creator
- Slade, James (civil engineer)
- Galvin, John (forester)
- Collection Creator
- McFarland, J. Horace (John Horace), 1859-1948
- American Rose Society
- Place
- Boston Public Garden (Boston, Massachusetts)
- United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Suffolk County -- Boston
- Emerald Necklace (Boston, Massachusetts)
- Topic
- Gardens -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Landscape architect
- Meacham, George F., 1831-1917
- Creator
- Slade, James (civil engineer)
- Galvin, John (forester)
- See more items in
- J. Horace McFarland Company collection
- J. Horace McFarland Company collection / Series 1: Garden Images / United States / Massachusetts
- Date
- 1902-1916
- Archival Repository
- Archives of American Gardens
- Identifier
- AAG.MCF, File MA056
- Type
- Archival materials
- 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.
- Bibliography
- Garden has been featured in Mary M. B. Wakefield, "The Boston Public Garden, Showcase of the City," Arnoldia, Vol. 48, No. 3 (Summer 1988), pp. 32-47. Garden has been featured in Anne Bernays, "The Green Heart of the Hub," The New York Times (Sunday, May 17, 1998), p. 10TR+.
- Scope and Contents note
- The folders include worksheets, photocopies of articles, brochures, a tree list, maps, and additional information about the site.
- 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.
- Record ID
- ebl-1504732814211-1504732814892-3
