Frederick Law Olmsted SUBJECT FILE School Buildings & Grounds Amherst College 1870, 1883Olmsted, Vaux & Co., Landscape Architects, No. 110 Broadway, NEW YORK. Chicago, April 5th. 1870. W. A. Stearns D.P. President, Amherst College Dear Sir; Upon mature consideration I find it impossible to recommend any position west of the old range of College buildings as a site for the proposed College Church. As between the two sites suggested, one on the East side of the hummock upon which Wood's Cabinet stands, the other on the north west side of the same, near the corner of the College property, the latter is decidedly the more objectionable. The Cabinet building can hardly be expected to remain permanently. When it is gone, a church standing in the position referred to would group with nothing and allign with nothing else in its vicinity. It would seem to have been shouldered into a corner where it would be completely detached from the College and be but awkwardly related to the village. [For it must be observed that the]buildings which belong to the college corporation on the west side of the village green do not in the least appear as a part of the College. Architecturally speaking it is the village, not the college which benefits by them. The same would be true of a church spire rising at the point in question. In the other position, Wood's Cabinet being removed and the hummock raked down, a church would be a central and dominating object for the village green on both sides. It would group beautifully with the only really beautiful objects in the immediate vicinity, the trees in the slopes and the southern green. Its relation with the old college buildings would not be very symmetrical or harmonious but less strikingly otherwise I think than if it were at any other point south of the face of the terrace. If I were obliged to assume that the College had now "got its growth", that the village was always henceforth to be just what it is now, and that what are just now the beaten tracks of the students and the faculty were never to be departed from, I should think this position South of the Cabinet united more advantages than any other. I hope that you will excuse me, however, if I decline to be controlled by these assumptions and discuss the question freely and comprehensively. As the management of a College reviews its youth from time to time there is no reason why its forms of usefulness should ever decline with age. On the other hand as with every generation something must be added to its accumulation of means, the older it grows, the better it should serve its purpose. Consequently there is every reason why a college once founded and well set [?] going should be maintained. It would be faithless and shameful to manage it on any other assumption. In studying the structural plans of a college then not the use of years but of centuries should be considered. When your college was founded Amherst was a small rural village remote from [?airga???] or other thronged ways of men. The original college buildings were placedon the brow of a hill standing detached from the village and were made to front so as to appear to the best advantage from the direction in which they would first be seen by [travellers] observers approaching upon or from the nearest route of general public travel. The banks of the Connecticut then held the importance almost of a sea coast, so that the region to the Eastward of Amherst hill would be often referred to as the back country. But, when at length, with difficulty hesitation and by successive stages an important rail road thoroughfare was established on the East Side of the village it necessarily disarranged affairs. It is already plain that the village is changing from it. Not only so but an advancing movement has been forced upon it. Owing to the strongly fixed habits of the old rural inhabitants the change is of course not rapid but that it has begun and is irresistable is perfectly evident. The village is no longer rural and retired. Hundreds [of people] now take Amherst as their way and see it in passing where one did so fifty years ago, and most who have occasion to refer to the Connecticut Valley in connection with the village speak of it as "in back of the town." It is reasonable to suppose that before the College is much older the revolution will have [?] been completed. There is not the slightest ground for expecting a return to the original state of things. As to the future of the College, it must move likewise - not rapidly but surely and continuously, even if the number of its undergraduates should not be materially enlarged, it will undoubtedly [?] receive a more elaborate equipment and gain in all the desiderata of a seat of learning and of Science. Every ten or twenty years some notable additions or improvements will be made.The buildings which have been recently added to the college series are much finer and make much more impression upon the mind of [an] observer. That the old ones, which consequently, and especially as they were commonly seen now [by sh?] behind these, seems designed to stand in the background, none of the recent and more imposing buildings face to the Westward. Clearly the college has begun to face about like the town. In the next step or two of your progress you may try to conform to the original theory or you may go on in a desultory way putting down a building nearby according to the convenience of the moment without any concern for general effects or permanent convenience, but you can not go far in either way [b] without running into more confusion and embarrassment; the college will be lost in the midst of the village of which it will be an undivided part. The only way in which you can avoid this is to accept the necessity of a change of the old idea of a single point on the main street of the village and toward the Connecticut river, and a backyard as the other side. Looking ahead, at all beyond our own time, the old village of brick buildings is, except for historical associations, extremely uninteresting and of little value. The new buildings, including those to be erected during the next century or two will certainly engage the eye and impress the mind a great deal more than the old ones. Some of the new ones will almost certainly stand to the eastward of the present brick range in positions equally elevated. If there is any considerably body of buildings to the westd [they] it will be on lower ground and will be separated from the main body by a public street. The roadsor walks connecting the two bodies of buildings must be laid out mainly in a direction diagonal [to their fronts [wth] which will still further tend to produce an effect of disunity of design and confusion. I strongly advise therefore that all idea of a front toward the west on [toward] the main street, or toward the north or the village be abandoned. That the college cut loose from the village wholly, and form a centre for itself. If it must be conceived as fronting one way more than another, let it face about as the village has done toward the rising sun & the rail road and the approaching strangers, Let the declivity formerly considered as the yard, and which is now on the right of the angular entrance from the village take the character of a quiet pleasure ground in connection with the old village green, of] which would still further tend to produce an effect of disunity of design and confusion - disorganization. The remedy is to be found by freeing the mind from the associations established by circumstances which have been superceded; disencumber your plans from regard to the few buildings - comparatively unimportant with reference to the future - which awkwardly dovetail it to the village, cut loose from the village altogether as well as the Connecticut river and build the college up by itself [as its own centre] about a centre of its own. If it must be conceived of as fronting one way more than another it should be faced about as the village has been toward the rail road, approaching strangers and the rising sun. Set the declivity, formerly considered as the front yard but impracticable as an approach, and which isnow on the right of the angular entrance from the village, take the character of a quiet pleasure ground, in connection with the old village green of which it was originally a part. Let the old range of brick buildings be regarded as the west side of a quadrangle. East of them there is a plateau and beyond it a moderate slope to the railway. The old back- yard - which has gradually taken more of the character of the college campus - might be extended in this direction toward the rail way till it should be made nearly twice its present size. There would then be sites for three times as many buildings ranged around it, as there are in the whole of your present collection. Each building so placed might have a double frontage intruding upon a public street, the other way toward a common centre. The principal entrance to the whole series instead of being as now in a corner and striking in diagonally between buildings from the rear of the village, should be at the middle of the East side of the campus, which should here abut upon a broad wall and avenue laid out parrallel to the rail way, and intersecting the new Main East & West Street of the village beyond the station and near the new Congregational Church. If this suggestion should be approved, clearly the proposed college church should be placed near the centre of the quadrangle, facing the Eastern entrance. Its position would then on the brow of the hill, the [graceful] trees now growing there would group gracefully about it and it would stand in imposing,sing, appropriate and beautiful relation to all the neighboring buildings and the surrounding landscapes. F. L. Olmsted 13 to Prof Stearns April 5, 1870 Amherst College Position of chapel.VII Is this Amherst College dupl, or MAC? Page 78. June 30th, 1870. W.A. Dickenson, Amherst. Dear Sir: as I am about leaving for the West I receive your favor of 29th. I have a drawing nearly complete which will be sent you tonight or tomorrow. It appears to me to be sufficiently accommodated to the facts as you now give them to me to answer the immediate purpose which is simply to enable you to present comprehensively the different parts of the proposed plan to which all future improvements should conform, in their proper relation to one another. The new street and walls may be required to be shifted to accommodate existing buildings on or near Main St. and the plan of roads, within the College grounds could doubtless be much improved. But as the plan stands here it may be intelligently discussed and the general policy involved be approved or discountenanced. If it should be approved I will, if you wish, come to Amherst and go over the ground more carefully with reference to preparing a definitive plan. I shall probably return to New York next Thursday and if you think that the present drawing is not as full as desirable or not as accurate, please advise me and I will then at once proceed with another. Very truly yours, Fredk Law Olmsted.Brookline, Mass. 14th July, 1883 To The Trustees of Amherst College [Dear]Sirs: At the request of Mr Pratt, I have considered the question of a site for the [proposed] new gymnasium. Of the three sites that have been had in view, the Westernmost would be the least convenient and any considerable building upon it would be decomposing to the general effect of the college grounds. The next [site] easterly could only be made suitable by the removal of a body of trees [which] now gracing the grounds and by the construction of a larger embankment and slope [considerably modifying the] which would considerably modify & mar that natural topograpy. [This could be done if necessary for convenience but [?] should be avoided the present conditions being bot only pleasing in themselves but helpful to the general character of the grounds.]The third site proposed is that nearest the Church and the question of dealing with the ground at this point is closely connected with that of dealing with the church which being the more important of the two buildings [may] should be [have precedence.] first considered. [The church though relatively to the other buildings [of the college] a small [building] structure is likely to be the most monumental beautiful and expressive]which the church would be subordinated and put out of countenance. The church under the view [of] of the future of the college which [as of] determined its position is to stand [just centre of] centrally in front of the entire college range. It is and is likely long to remain the most monumental, beautiful and expressive object of the series. Relatively [small it will gain greatly in dignity when it shall be see to stand [upon an ample or] alone upon a distinct natural pedestal.]small the more distinctly it appears from all sides to stand upon an eminence of its own ______ a pedistal, the greater will be not its individual dignity alone but the dignity of [tending from it to] the group centering upon it. It cannot for this purpose be lifted, but upon the removal of the East College now happily determined on it will [m?][The church though relatively to others a small building is now, and is likely long to remain, the most monumental, beautiful and expressive [?] member of the college group, in front of which in the view which determined its location it stands. not be a formidable undertaking to so slope the round from the church on all sides. that it will [be] in effect be lifted and set upon a symetrical [pedestal. To this end I should recommend that the [valley] depressing to the westward of [the] East College be extended [South East] southeastwardly enough to let water pass off.] pedestal. this being done if a building not too large and not of a character to come into competition with the church architecturally is place beyond the slope of the church knoll on the South it will help to bring the other buildings of the college into one group with the church, while leaving it eminent among them. Considering the proposed gymnasium as a candidate[facing the south flank of the same depression. I have set stakes where that would occur at a distance of fifty yards from the nearest point of the church.] for this position, it may be supposed to stand [nowhere,] not nearer than fifty years from the church and at such an elevation that its water table would be three feet [lower than] below that of the church. [Upon the whole, it is my opinion that the design of the gymnasium if so placed brings it within the requirements of the case. Were it a larger building or one of more architectural display [I have set stakes] for this position, I have set stakes suggestively of the position it might occupy. This would Were it a question of a much larger building or one of much more architectural display, I should [still] think it likely in this position to subordinate the church, dwarf it and put it out of countenance, but [upon] after examining the design of the gymnasium, upon the whole it is my opinion that [the design of the gymnasium it sufficiently nearby the] it comes sufficiently within the requirements of the case in this respect and I therefore recommend that it be assigned to the site. I have set stakes marking the exact position [I have] had in view.I should not think so. The second site, opposite Walker Hall will be better reserved for any larger building that may be required in the future. Assuming that it will by and by be so occupied it will be seen that the gymnasium placed as proposed will form one stage in a line of ascending elevations culminating with the old chapel. From the direction of Walker Hall and [all it] the larger part of the interior [of the quadrangle the gymnasium would be seen to the best advantage]present surface on the South West of the church be reduced in such a manner as to form by a gentle double curve a branch of the cursive valley of the grounds [la] [leading at] through which water might flow eastwardly at a distance of about 40 yards from the church. If the material of the reduction is worked [off to] off Southwardly there will then appear a smaller and lower swell of ground of the [quadrangle] college green, this gymnasium will be presented in perspective, as [a distinct design] a single object, to the best advantage. From the great valley in the East front of the College its walls and roof being partly screened by the trees that now fringe the hills, it will [ap] more than from within the [ground] green appear appropriately subordinated to the unscreened church and [better] well composed with the other buildings. [of the quadrangle, the gymnasium would be seen to the best advantage [in perspective, presenting as it will]]which the College Church - now the most beautiful and significant structure on the hill - would be dignified and put out of countenance. [When the East College shall have been removed considerable grading will required for the best presentation of the church.] When the East College shall have been removed it will remain desirable to give more distinctiveness [to the] on the Western side to the elevation of ground [on] which it stands I have referred to the required grading as not a formidable operation, it will appear sufficiently so, however, to justify me in cautioning the Trustees that it is an essential condition of a satisfactory result and should not be skimped. I will venture to advise the Trustees also that the trees of the College ground should be carefully surveyed with a view to the removal of some that are failing and greatly injuring [the development and vigor of]the developmnt and vitality of their juniors and also with a view to additional plantings. A succession of trees should be provided for, Such trees as have been planted within any recent period are injudiciously [sl] selected and placed for this purpose. . The general design and plan of the college ground needs studious review. [object]Amherst College 14 July 83 The pedestal Amherst College 14 July 1883 F. L. O. report VII A