Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

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Fairsted
Fairsted, the home and office of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.
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.
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.
Wicker chairs around table in room with rock covered wall with views outside
Fairsted's Plant Room was the Olmsted family's favorite room in the house. With the rock walls and large windows to view the South Lawn, it was the perfect mix of interior and exterior.
Large flat grassy area with one tree in middle, other on sides, next to large house
Fairsted's South Lawn served as an apple orchard for the previous owners, but the Olmsted's turned it into a sprawling open lawn where they hosted gatherings.
Many pieces of paper wrapped around wooden rods stacked on top of each other
The Vault at Fairsted houses over one million pieces of paper, dating from Frederick Law Olmsted Sr.'s time to 1979, when the firm closed.
Large room with wooden tables and stools
The Drafting Department housed the most office employees, with drafting being a crucial stage in a landscape design project.
Room with wooded drawers along all the walls
In nearly one hundred years of active practice, the Olmsted office would produce sixty thousand images, all stored in wooden boxes along the walls
Photos: National Park Service

About 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.

Quick Facts

State Massachusetts
Designation National Historic Site
State Code MA
Weather Summer: Warm temperatures, average high temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, often with humidity. July and August bring the hottest temperatures. Fall: Cooler temperatures, mean temperatures between 45 and 65 degrees…

Location & Map

Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site is located in Massachusetts.

Operating Hours

Hours for the visitor center and house at Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site vary by season. The grounds are open year-round, dawn to dusk. In the summer, the site is open Thursday to Sunday. In the spring, the site is open Fridays and Saturdays. During the winter season, the house is closed to the public, with tours available by appointment only.

Wednesday Closed
Monday Closed
Thursday 9:30AM - 4:30PM
Sunday 9:30AM - 4:30PM
Tuesday Closed
Friday 9:30AM - 4:30PM
Saturday 9:30AM - 4:30PM

Activities

Guided Tours Self-Guided Tours - Walking Junior Ranger Program Museum Exhibits Shopping Bookstore and Park Store

Getting There

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.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

Address 99 Warren Street, Brookline, MA, 02445
Phone 6175661689
Email frla_interpretation@nps.gov

Topics & Themes

Landscape Design Schools and Education Social Movements Conservation Movement Wars and Conflicts Civil War

Visitor Centers

Visitor Center

Visitor center, bookstore, and self guided exhibits too the right at the front of the house. Design office tours depart from the visitor center. Entrances…

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