[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 27, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E422]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED

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                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 27, 2022

  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Madam Speaker, today we honor the tremendous 
legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted. April 26, 2022, marks the 200th 
anniversary of his birth, a day to celebrate and reflect on the great 
impact he had in my home community of Buffalo and Niagara Falls, New 
York and across the country.
  When we visit and admire our national parks, we owe a great gratitude 
to Frederick Law Olmsted, as he was one of the first individuals to 
promote the idea of national parks in his 1865 Yosemite Report. He is 
remembered as the premier landscape architect in the United States 
during the 19th century and is considered to be the founder of 
landscape architecture in the United States.
  His work and designs included a plethora of different types of 
landscapes. He worked to develop parks and parkways, college campuses, 
planned communities, estates, cemeteries, and recreation areas.
  In our very own community, we see his impact reflected in the Buffalo 
Olmsted Park System; the first of its kind in this country which today 
is recognized on the National Register for Historic Places, and in his 
design of the State Reservation at Niagara, the first and oldest State 
Park in the United States which preserved public access to the mighty 
and splendid Niagara Falls.
  It was not just the landscapes themselves that were impressive, but 
Olmsted's philosophy behind his work and designs which were visionary 
and have stood the test of time. He believed that landscape designs 
should promote community, advance democracy, provide recreational 
opportunities in urban environments, nurture and invigorate public 
health, and encourage the development of livable communities.
  This philosophy was carried out well into the 20th century by 
Olmsted's associates, sons, and successor firms, leaving a tremendous 
legacy of historic landscapes that continues to benefit all Americans 
and visitors.
  Madam Speaker, Olmsted's landscape designs are inclusive, enduring, 
and embrace the restorative value of parks which continue to play a 
valuable role in society today.

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