Olmsted Parks and Landscapes in Holyoke

Olmsteds in Holyoke presentation

Wyckoff Neighborhood – TOUR

My special topic for 2022 is Olmsted Parks in Holyoke. This special topic is in line with the 200th year anniversary of Frederick Law Olmsted. Read about the celebration at this LINK. Within Holyoke April 26 2022 was Frederick Law Olmsted Day by proclamation of the mayor.

PARKS:

Elmwood Parkplans – (years 1902 to 1909)

Pulaski Park (designed 1910, completed 1913, called Prospect Park)

Springdale Park (year 1905)

Jones Point Park (City Park and Highland Park) – plans – (designed 1909, completed 1912)

HOMES: (LOC means Library of Congress)

former ownercurrent locationyearGoogle mapinternal linkLOC plansOlmsted plans
Albert Steiger170 Mountain View1911/1924maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
Albert SteigerMountain View
(lots 34 35 36)
1924maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
Joseph Towne181 Linden Street1924maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
Joseph B Woodruff28 Central Park Drive1923maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
George and William Prentiss1399 Northampton Street but now
15 Carol Lane
1915maplinkLOC link
LOC link
Olmsted plans
William Skinner1155 Northampton Street1930maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
James Wakelin1067 Northampton Street1924maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
Lewis Wyckoff1040 Northampton Street1927maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
Edward Twing 192362 Central Park DrivemaplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
Edward Twing 1925198 and 208 Central Park Drive1923maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans
Edward Towne1021 Northampton Street1923maplinkLOC linkOlmsted plans

INSTITUTIONS:

William Whiting farmland – Not much information is available about the plans or even if the plans were meant to be for one of the Whiting family homes that were downtown.

Wyckoff Parkplans – (year 1922) – LIGHTSTOUR

Mount Tom Country Club (year 1922) – PLAN

Holyoke Contagious Disease HospitalPLANS – (year 1905)

Saint Jerome’s Cemetery (year 1940) – Olmsted PLANS

City Beautiful Plan (for Holyoke)PLAN (found in the 1908 city register)

City Plan (for Holyoke from 1907) – LOCPHOTOS

Initial Report (from 1901) – see parks department report in city register (pages 207 to 214)

Olmsted Brothers quote about the Holyoke canals:

“The broad canals running through the heart of the manufacturing district form one of the most interesting and characteristic features of the city plan.  They occupy a good deal of space and it is obviously desirable to secure as an incident to their main use … as large a return as possible in the way of public enjoyment.”