On the Paths of a Genius: Frederick Law Olmsted in Connecticut at the Guilford Free Library

David Leff will use verbal and pictorial imagery to recount the fascinating story of Frederick Law Olmsted, America’s “father of landscape architecture.” Hartford born in 1822, he designed major parks in New York (Central and Prospect Parks), Boston, Washington D.C., and outdoor treasures in many other cities. Among his Connecticut designs are Seaside and Beardsley Parks in Bridgeport, Walnut Hill in New Britain, and the Institute of Living campus in Hartford. Learn how his formative years in his native state influenced his brilliantly executed and far-seeing designs. Discover his years living in Guilford. No one calling Connecticut home should be surprised at feeling some nostalgia while walking through an Olmsted park, however far away. Discover how this master park maker was able to create a sense of nature in the densest urban areas, and why his designs are enduring a century-and-a-half later. Come to the library one day and tread in the great man’s footsteps the next!

David K. Leff is an essayist, Pushcart Prize nominated poet and former deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. His work focuses on the surprisingly intimate relationship of people to their built and natural environments. He is the author of four nonfiction books, three collections of poetry, and a novel in verse. See his work at www.davidkleff.com

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