Frederick Law Olmsted   SUBJECT FILE   Parks   Newark, N. J.
1867[*Published in
"Rep. of the Park Com. appointed by 
ac act of the Legislature"
Trenton N.J. 1868
Report 
on a site for a 
park at Newark
by 
Olmsted Vaux & Co. 
Landscape Architects 
1867
OLMSTED VAUX & CO
110 BROADWAY N.Y.
LANDSCAPE ARCH'TS.
OCT
8
1867
Station

A
Bloomfield Turnpike

C
Toll Gate       Mill
Canal
Roseville Station

B       D
Broad Street

Diagram to accompany
report on site for 
Newark park
by Olmsted Vaux & Co.110 Broadway New York
October 5th 1867

To the Board of Commissiones
of the Newark Park.

Gentlemen,

We were yesterday
shown certain lands in the vicinity
of Newark and, upon such superficial
examination of them as we have
since made, we have now, at the
request of your Executive Committee,
to express an estimate of their fitness
to be taken up for a Park.

[One of] The tract to which our attention
was more especially directed is indicated
in a printed diagram published in
(1)


the "Newark Daily Advertiser", but we
were also desired to look at the land
lying West of this, on which the
"Boiling Spring" is situated. Both
these tracts are included between the
Morris & Essex and Bloomfield Railroads
on one side and the Bloomfield turnpike
on the other.

As the term "park" in its simplest
usage means merely an enclosure and
as it is applied to enclosures of [a]
widely different character it is necessary to [define]
exemplify the type of park which is had in view
[the general character of the park]
[proposed] in this case  before the matter in hand
(2)can be debated with advantage.

Our understanding of the character of Park  [this is that it
is a park which,] which is wanted is one that to the people of Newark,
shall answer the more important purposes
which are found to be met [meet] in the
Central Park of New York; [Ovids] Druid's Hill
in Baltimore; Hyde, Regents, Victoria,
and Battersea in London; Birkenhead Park
and the series known as Princes, Stanley,
Sheil, Newsham, Wavertree and Sefton parks
at Liverpool; the Phoenix in Dublin,
the Bois du Boulogne & the Bois de Vincennes
in Paris, and the Prater in Vienna. These
and others of the same class all offer
(3)


certain advantages for the recreation
and the conservation of health of the
people of the towns which respectively
possess them that are not found in
some other enclosures, also called parks,
that have been set apart for public we
in several of the same cities -
Parks of the former class are all
of considerable size, the largest [most of them
being from one to] containing [nearly] over three thousand acres
and the smallest [none less than] three hundred [in
extent] while the average extent is probably [being] about eight
hundred acres.It is to be borne in mind however that 
Within the enclosure of each
of the above mentioned pleasure grounds as it now exists
[however], considerable space is occupied
by accommodations of a special character
(4)not common to all of the designs and obviously not
necessary to the accomplishment of the
main purposes which [it] a public park is [designed]
intended to serve. In some, for instance, private
residences are included, with extensive
grounds attached to which the general
public are not admitted; in others 
there are museums & scientific collections, 
buildings and grounds for colleges and
other institutions, palaces, parade grounds,
theatres, restaurants, barracks, arsenals,
waterworks and various other things,
which, [not being found in most of them],
it is evident [it is obvious] are not essential features [part] of
this class of parks and [therefore] which need
(5)not therefore enter into our consideration of the
adaptability of the land now in
question for the formation of the
park required. Accommodations for
some of the[se] [same] purposes [already] referred [or for]
to or for others of similar character may perhaps be advantageously connected
with [it advantageously] the design for the Newark Park but these
must all be regarded as [of little] 
unimportant [consequence] in [the] a first study of the
site.

[Wholly] When entirely freed from extraneous [all things]
considerations [else] the central idea of [the] a large [such] public park
[that is wanted] is manifestly that of a work
of art - of a peculiar character undoubtedly but nevertheless designed
at the outset as all other works of art are designed
(6)with the intention of [to] producing through the exercise of the natural perception a certain effect upon the
mind and the character of those who
approach [resort to] it.
The influences [effect] most desirable to be
exerted on [produced upon] the mind [is] are the
reverse of whose [for] from [that under an excep of]
which the much confined, stimulated
and [or] overworked inhabitants of large
towns are habitually suffering [usually suffer] and from the 
wearing and disorganizing [influence] effects
of which they most need to find
conditions favorable to recreation.
In our preliminary report
upon the plan of the Brooklyn Park
we indicated the character of scenery 
(7)best fitted to this end as follows -
"It consists of combinations
of trees standing singly or in groups
and casting their shadows over broad
stretches of turf or repeating their
beauty by reflection upon the calm
surface of pools, and the predominant
associations are in the highest degree
tranquillizing and grateful, as expressed
by the Hebrew Poet: "He maketh me
to lie down in green pastures: He 
leadeth me beside the still waters"
We know of no other landscape
effects that can be commanded,
within the limitations fixed by
(8)"the conditions of the site which
"experience shows to be more desirable
"in a town park than these."
The first thing we ask for
then in considering the fitness of
any tract of ground for the purposes
of a park is opportunity for
economically establishing upon it
scenery of this character, and for
so arranging this scenery that it
may be brought under the eye of
a large number of observers continuously,
for a considerable period
of time, during which they are able
by moderate and agreeable exercise
(9)


to enjoy [a considerable] in succession
[of new points of view] a series of views and thus have
their interest constantly stimulated
by a pleasant variety.
It is desirable that this opportunity
should occur in a part of the land
proposed to be used for a park,
from connection with which, in the
landscape to be produced, other
objects inconsistent in character with
it may be readily disassociated.
Such an opportunity is found
in a portion of the land which we
yesterday examined the centre of
which is not far North West of the
(10)
Boiling Spring
This ground is at present
watersoaked and unproductive and its
appearance is unattractive, but [at] our
cursory examination [of the ground] seems to indicate that
with a less outlay [a rate of cost] per acre [much less
than was required for the improvement
of any part of the site of the New
York or Brooklyn parks a considerable portion of this territory [it] may be
transformed into pleasure ground of the
character required.
The scope [of ground] 
within which it would be desirable
to operate in the formation of
pastoral landscapes of a refined
and complete character, the central
parts of which would be near the
(11)


point indicated, would extend
nearly to the Railroad on the
South, the Turnpike on the North,
a little beyond Bathgate's lane
on the East and to the further
slope of the rising ground West
of the road which leads from the
turnpike to the neighborhood of
the German Catholic Cemetery, on
the West. 
The tract
thus bounded is somewhat more
nearly level than is desirable,
but it has controlling advantages,
especially regarding the
probable cost of construction, over
(12)any other part of the region to
which our attention was called and
over any other which we observed
in a rapid drive of about ten miles
though the Southern, Western and Northern
suburbs of your city.
  We have indicated to your
committee the more important of
these advantages and they need not be
recapitulated in the present report.
  We should deem it practicable, 
after due preparation, within one
year from undertaking the work, to
form in this situation a larger
stretch of that character of ground

(131)which is the most valuable constituent 
of a great park than is yet included 
within any park in this country 
while in all probability the cost per acre of the necessary 
operations [for this purpose] would 
be much less than [of those which have] has been 
required to secure [elsewhere] [a smaller extent 
of] the same character of ground 
[either in the New York or the Brooklyn 
parks] in other localities that have 
come under our notice.  
   A proper site for the central 
and most important [constituent park] Element 
of a park having been found, the 
question next in order is how and 
by what way shall the site be made

(14)accessible to those for whose benefit 
the park is to be designed?
   In this case it is practicable to 
open a way from the very centre of 
your city to what we have proposed 
should be the central feature of 
your park which would be very 
convenient while it would also be 
highly novel and interesting in 
character.
   The route for this purpose 
would follow up the ravine which 
is now crossed by a bridge at the 
North end of the principal street of 
the city, the sides of which, together

(15)with the abandoned quarries which 
adjoin it are susceptible of picturesque 
treatment.; After passing the quarries [which it 
might be carried around] it would continue around the pond 
above the reservoirs, the west border 
of which is already agreeably overhung 
by trees, and then be extended by a 
graceful approach to the ground 
already designated.
   A strip of land on this route, 
from two to five hundred feet wide, 
might be so treated as to furnish 
scenery of a rural and appropriate 
[park-like] character to be enjoyed 
throughout its whole extent and all 

(16)that portion of the traffic of the
town [which] that must be expected hereafter to pass through this neighborhood [which as] and which would be inharmonious
with the purpose of recreation might
be provided for so as not to cause
inconvenience. 
   The character of the 
arrangements which might which might be used
for this purpose have been indicated
to your committee, and we need only
say [further] [for this] here that the advantages of
the route proposed are of a [very 
important] character [and] to add much 
to the feasibility and economy with
which the general project of a park
in this quarter of the city may be

(17)carried out.  We believe there is no 
large town in the world in which 
an unobstructed route [of access], itself 
rural in character, [and] giving access to a great park 
is brought so conveniently near the 
doors of all its inhabitants, as with 
this arrangement you would enjoy.  
The advantage is all the greater from the 
fact that Broad Street is so fine an 
avenue, so [broad] spacious, level and arterial 
in its relations to the other important 
parts of the city and its suburbs.  
[?] in London, Paris, Vienna, New York 
Baltimore, Philadelphia or Brooklyn 
is it possible to reach the great parksfrom the [outcome?] or opposite quarters 
of the town, without long and difficult 
encounters with conflicting currents 
of commerce, crowded and sometimes 
packed immovably in streets of insufficient
capacity for the service required of them.[carried out.]
   The ravine and quarries 
are at present an obstacle to free 
communication between an important 
district within the city limits and 
the central parts of the city itself 
from which [it is] this district is removed hardly a 
quarter of a mile.  They constitute 
in themselves a nuisance and they 
tend to establish and perpetuate 
other nuisances in a situation where 
their influence must be unfavorable 
upon the prosperity of the whole city.  
   [They] They thus cause a distortion of the plan 
of the city which in connection with

(18)the arrangement for a park might, we 
should think, be remedied with a 
clear profit at no distant day to the 
city treasury.
   Next in order of importance 
to the principal approach from the 
city to the park are other approaches 
and connections with points of interest, 
which may with advantage be thus 
associated with the park itself. 
   That which strikes us as most 
desirable is a series of ways suitable 
for pleasure driving, riding or walking 
with bordering plantations which shall 
connect with those of the very beautiful

(19)grounds about to be improved for the 
public use by your State Agricultural 
Society.  Another similar series 
to connect with Llewellyn park is 
suggested, and a third leading 
northwardly through the charming 
landscapes which lie in the direction 
of Woodside, Belleville and the vallies 
of the Second river and the Passaic. 
   With reference to the latter route 
we glanced at the land lying on 
the north side of the turnpike, 
opposite that which we have advised 
should be selected as the centre of 
your park, and were struck by its

(20)beauty and the advantages which it 
would present as an adjunct of 
the park.  It would be necessary 
that you should control an outlet 
for your drainage in this direction 
and this consideration together with 
the beauty of the natural scenery 
in the vicinity of the Mill pond which 
lies a short distance away led us 
to consider whether a sufficient area 
of land here might be connected 
by pleasure roads with the park 
without interfering with the turnpike, 
[a change in] the route of which, we 
were advised by your committee should
 
(21)not be considered as open to change.  We observed two 
points which would be suitable for 
this purpose and we would suggest 
that after acquiring the land which 
we have already indicated, a further 
extension of the boundaries of the 
park would be desirable, to include 
the grist mill on the old Bloomfield 
road, the mill pond, the ridge 
between the latter and the turnpike 
gate, the swampy land to the Westward 
of the same and a sufficient 
extent of firm land beyond the 
swamp and pond for a road.  
   The grearter part of this land

(22)is worthless for agricultural or building 
purposes but could at small cost 
be made to add much to the attractiveness 
of your park.  

A sufficient portion of the 
high land between the old quarries 
and the line of 6th Avenue (as laid 
down upon Holbrook's map of the 
City) would be desirable to be 
associated with the park from the 
opportunity it offers, in connection 
with the improvements already suggested, 
of retaining perpetually for the 
public enjoyment the very fine 
views [to the Eastward] which would
(23) 
be commanded from it. 

There could 
be here placed to great advantage 
a pavilion and other provisions 
for the salutation and entertainment 
of guests of the city, (The ground 
required for this purpose is included 
in the diagram, to which reference 
will presently be made, in plot B)

Some of the flat ground 
between the old quarry and the 
park proper, adjoining the route 
of approach beyond the Canal, 
would be very suitable for a 
parade and ball ground and if
(24)secured in season [taken for this purpose] it would [would remove]
[then be unnecessary for to give]
[the necessity of giving up that]
enable you to [otherwise appropriate to] save
[which is] for the more important [for the]
general purposes of a park [which]
lands which otherwise would have to be thus appropriated although naturally
[would thus be] susceptible of a 
more refined and artistic treatment
[than would otherwise be the case,] [is called for in [?ett???] an exercising [gro??]
   The ground lying between
the turnpike and Sixth avenue
is the least desirable of all that 
we examined to be included  in the 
park.  If, however,  the park 
should be formed upon the land 
we have advised to be taken and a 
general plan should be adopted

(25)for its construction embodying the 
few large features which [we] have 
been vaguely suggested in this report it would be quite 
necessary that the plan of the city 
in this section should be thoroughly 
revised without reference to the existing 
structures upon it, which [fortunately 
are] generally seem to be of small value.  

¶ We should advise, therefore, that 
this land be also included in the 
tract to be purchased for the park, 
but that it be left with those to 
be charged with the duty of supervising 
its construction, after their plans 
shall have been matured, to recommend the disposal
(26)for other purposes of such portions of it [for other purposes]
as [it shall be found] can be left 
out of the park proper with advantage.  
   We recapitulate our 
conclusions, refering to the accompanying 
diagram:
   1st  Within the tract 
designated A a small park could 
be formed which would include 
an unusual extent of scenery of a 
very desirable character.
   ¶ 2nd  The addition of plot B 
would [allow] provide for an admirable approach 
[to be made] to plot A from the central 
parts of the city; would allow the
(27)general plan of the city to be 
much improved and would [allow] secure 
the advantages of a [very] fine prospect 
over the city, and the park, and of a distant outlook 
[to be associated with the park] over [of] a considerable stretch of country.
   ¶ 3rd   Plot C offers an [advantage] addition 
to the park of much value.  Its 
improvement in connection with 
plot A would greatly add to the 
healthfulness and to the availability 
as a place of residence of the 
region of country lying back of it 
and between it and the city as 
well as of that on its immediate 
border.  It would also [make] render the 
(28)24
1866, which extended the Park area to very nearly its present
dimensions—228 acres having been added—a new and 
entirely different style of improvement was adopted, requiring
the expenditure of more money.  The former restriction 
was accordingly removed and the Commissioners were authorized
to expend such reasonable amounts for improvement
as should be found necessary, and the City authorities
were directed to issue bonds and furnish means upon the 
requisition of this Board, in the same manner as they had 
been directed to do under the former Act.  This arrangement 
continued until 1868, when the improvement fund
was limited to three millions of dollars, including the bonds
which had ben previously issued.

   This limit, as we have said, has now been reached; but 
a very considerable portion of the Park, including the
fifty acres recently annexed, yet remains to be improved,
and the Commissioners will be obliged to suspend further 
operations until the Legislature shall have provided means
for its completion. As to the exact amount which will yet
be required for this purpose, the Commissioners can make
no very definite statement.  A fine work of art, such as the 
regulation and embellishment of a Park of this description,
cannot properly be executed by contract, but in the judgment
of the Commissioners the amount required will not 
exceed two millions of dollars.

   Before closing their report it may not be uninteresting to 
the taxpayers of our City for the Commissioners to state the 
extent of the burden which Park enterprise now imposes 
upon our City.  The amount awarded for land first purchased 
for Prospect Park, on the 15th of June, 1864, including

25
including expenses, as appears from the official report filed in
the County Clerk's Office was .  .                      $1,387,606  27
For the second purchase on the 5th Feb'y
   1866, . . . . . .                                                            158,558  40
For the third purchase on the 27th May, 1867,   752,745  02
And for the fourth and last purchase, on the
   13th of April, 1869, . . .                                        1,705,248 32
                                                                                ___________________
                     Total . . .                                            $4,004,158  01

From this deduct the amount awarded to the
   City for a strip of land, thirty feet wide,
   taken from the Park for the widening of 
   Vanderbilt Avenue and paid into the 
   sinking fund to be applied in the redemption
   of Park bonds, .   .   .                                                 28,509  60
                                                                                    __________________
   and the present cost of all the land 
   purchased will be    .   .   .   .                              $3,975,648  41
If to this we add the amount authorized to 
   be expended for improvement, .  .                     3,000,000 00
                                                                                     ___________________
   the total indebtedness of the City at this 
   time, on account of this Park will be . .            $6,975,648  41

But no solicitude need be felt by our citizens on the 
score of expense.  In a merely pecuniary point of view, and 
without regard to the immense social and moral considerations
involved in the possession and use of such a Park, the 
acquisition of the property is proving, as we have shown, a 
splendid investment for the City; and every dollar now expended 
upon it will add to its permanent value. This property 
has cost, say seven millions of dollars; but if sold 
to-day it would realize more than enough to pay the whole
debt of the city; and long before the bonds issued for its 
purchase shall have matured, it will, in a probability, be directions and running through
pleasant neighborhoods where land
is cheap [for the] these [strips?] being secured with reference to the future construction, thereon of
pleasure drives and walks. By
this arrangement the advantages
of the park as a place of general recreation could [would] be greatly
extended [and] while a large number of
tax payers would be invited to the attractive
places of residence which could [would]
be thus made directly accessible from and associated
with the park. [?] We are the more
impelled to make this suggestion
from having observed that a demand
for such approaches and connections
has of late invariably followed
(30)the construction of a park, and that
the necessary expense of meeting this
demand has been many fold advanced
by the neglect to procure the necessary
land for the purpose at the same
time with that taken for the park
itself. This has been the case
not only in New York and Brooklyn
but in London, Liverpool and Paris.
For the same reason we urge that
the boundaries of the park should
not at the outset be rigidly fixed
but that a reasonable latitude
should be allowed in the regulation
of the borders of the park for [by which] this
(31)will probably [not only] report not only in 
[means] a more satisfactory artistic arrangement [be]
but in great benefit to 
the city treasury [would probably benefit]
[greatly]
   [Only] In conclusion we would observe that as only a few hours were allowed 
us for our examination [and during 
these the weather was stormy. It] It is 
quite probable that a more deliberate 
study of the site would lead to 
some modification of the lines 
of the diagram and possibly 
would reveal important advantages
which have been overlooked, 
   It will be observed 
that the sequence of the letters 
A. B. C. D indicates the relative 
value with referene to the park
(32)of the different pieces of land thus 
designated and that this order 
of valuation is the reverse of that 
which would be adopted in estimating 
their value for most other purposes, 
or their actual market value at 
this time. Thus, if the purchase 
of the whole tract covered by the 
diagram should be deemed too 
great an undertaking, we should 
advise that the size of the park 
be cut down by throwing off so 
much of the more expensive clap
of lands as may be found necessary
to bring the cost of the whole within 
(33)


the proper limit. It should be 
considered however that the larger 
the area of the park the [larger] longer
will be its boundary and the [larger] longer 
its boundary the greater will be the 
amount of land which will be 
directly advanced in value by 
reason of its construction, and, consequently,
the lighter will be the rate of taxation,
per acre of park which will fall 
upon the citizens generally. 
Newark is so situated with 
reference to the harbor of New York
and to the great mining and manufacturing 
region growing up West of it that a
(34)park of ample dimensions which shall
compare favorably with other notable
parks cannot fail to establish in a
few years a great number of tax-paying
residents upon its border.
According to all precedent the mere
increase in the value of land, to say 
nothing of the increased demand
upon its merchants and mechanics
which would thus occur, would much
more than defray all the expenses
of the undertaking.
It should not
therefore escape consideration that
the larger the area of the park, the 
(35)greater will be the number of lots
which will face upon it, [and] the 
greater the number of streets which 
will open upon it, [and] the greater
the amount of land, the salubrity
of a residence upon which will
be affected by it, and the more favor-
able will be the comparison which
Newark will present with other cities
and consequently the stronger its [greater its all]
hold upon its own capitalists and
its attraction upon others.
                      Respectfully,
                                 Olmstead, Vaux + Co
                                    Landscape Architects.