Samuel Parsons
Encyclopedia
Samuel H. Parsons Jr.. Parsons was a well-known American landscape architect remembered primarily for his "Beaux-Arts" designs in New York City
, the development of Central Park
, San Diego’s Balboa Park, and for serving as a founding member to the American Society of Landscape Architects
(ASLA)
in 1844 to Samuel Parsons Sr., an accomplished and well noted horticulturist, who was the first to import Japanese Maples
and propagate rhododendron
s. Samuel received his practical training and knowledge of landscaping
and landscape materials working for J.R. Trumpy, the manager of his father’s nursery in Flushing, Queens
. Parsons then went to school at Yale University
and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy
in 1862, after which he spent several years studying and practicing farming. When he returned home to the family nursery, a welcome surprise awaited him. The nursery was now in business with and supplying Frederick Law Olmsted
and Calvert Vaux
, two famous designers most notably responsible for New York’s Central Park
design.
Parsons became an apprentice of Calvert Vaux
from 1879-1884 and his partner from 1887-1895. When Vaux became the head landscape architect
of the New York City Parks Department, with him came Parsons, who took over the unpaid position of Superintendent of Planting. After Vaux's death in 1895, Parsons became the new head landscape architect of New York City
and remained there until 1911. During Parsons' partnership with Vaux
, the two produced many notable designs, including: Abingdon Square and Christopher Street Park, both in Greenwich Village
, the restoration of the Ladies Pond in Central Park
(which at the time was infested with malaria carrying mosquito
s), the siting of Grant's Tomb
in Riverside Park
, and the completion of Morningside Park. In collaboration with architect Stanford White
, Parsons and Vaux also produced the Washington Memorial Arch in Washington Square Park and the Grand Army Plaza Arch near Prospect Park
in Brooklyn
. Throughout their tenure together Parsons noticed that Vaux was a very passionate believer in naturalistic parks, but was reluctant to push himself forward.
After Vaux’s death, Parsons went on to design Balboa Park (then known as City Park) in San Diego, Albemarle Park in Asheville, North Carolina
, St. Nicholas Park
in New York City, a Dutch Garden for Van Cortlandt Park
in the Bronx, and to re-design Union Square to accommodate the new subway station. New York City was the main beneficiary of Parsons' designs; they included numerous bathrooms, some designed to resemble Greek temples.
In 1899, Parsons founded the American Society of Landscape Architects
(ASLA) in conjunction with 10 other well established landscape architects on a basis of three tenets:
From 1905 to 1907 Parsons served as the President of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Parsons published numerous magazine articles and at least six books on landscape gardening throughout his life. He depended on media publicity to accomplish a goal only once; he sought help from local newspapers to help rid Central Park of shantytowns.
Throughout his professional career, Parsons was known for his ability to merge elegant plantings and the extensive knowledge he had gained from his father with the native environment without disrupting the Genius Loci
(the spirit of place) of the sites he designed. He was able to maintain his design characteristics in all of his design projects without completely copying his earlier work. He remains a founding father of the modern day landscape architecture
institution, and his designs are still visible throughout the United States
, primarily in San Diego’s Balboa Park and New York City's Union Square
.
Parsons' most notable designs outside of New York City are Balboa Park in San Diego, California
and Pine Lawn Cemetery on Long Island
.
, known today as Balboa Park. A local merchant, George W. Marston, who volunteered to pay a minimum of $4,000 and a maximum of $5,000 to the landscape architect who offered their services, arranged to meet Samuel Parsons during a business trip to New York City. The meeting went very well and Parsons was hired to design the park.
In December 1902 Parsons wrote down his first impressions of what he envisioned for the park. Interestingly, Parsons visited the site for the first time right after winter rains gave way to blooming wildflowers. He was able to record which type of native flowers grew on the land and where. He worked around this to create a sense of natural planting throughout the site. Parsons also discovered the site offered plenty of views ranging from mesas to the Pacific Ocean
. His ultimate goal was to capture the outside world instead of blocking it like he did with previous park designs in New York City.
With the arrival of Samuel Parsons in San Diego came objections from the locals. Local business people, gardeners, politicians and clients for the project all objected to an outsider designing the city's largest park. They were convinced that only the locals knew the soil, climate, and plant conditions present throughout the site.
Parsons only visited the site four times, leaving the execution of his plans to his assistant, George Cooke. Parsons was able to do most of his work from his office in New York with the contour maps sent to him from the San Diego Bureau of Public Works. Throughout the construction and improvement of City Park, some locals called upon Parsons to design their private estates and grounds. 1911 was the last year Parsons was part of the project in San Diego. His initial plans weren't exactly matched and the result is a park that lacks what the designer initially had planned. With modern technology and the introduction of high-rise buildings many of the views the park initially offered no longer exist. Parsons had no idea what would be built on the City Park site in years to come. The 1200 acres (4.9 km²) park is now host to numerous buildings including; a velodrome, administrative offices and buildings, a golf course, a zoo, restaurants, gift shops and public schools. These are only some of the occupants of the park land. Out of the 1200 acres (4.9 km²) park only 263 acres (1.1 km²) are left as open spaces. Furthermore, most of the initial plants introduced by Parsons are dying or already gone. The City of San Diego has removed many of the trees and shrubs to decrease the number of transients living in the park. Balboa Park has left a lasting impression on the city of San Diego, although it no longer serves the romantic purpose Parsons had imagined.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the development of Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, San Diego’s Balboa Park, and for serving as a founding member to the American Society of Landscape Architects
American Society of Landscape Architects
The American Society of Landscape Architects is the national professional association representing landscape architects, with more than 17,000 members in 48 chapters, representing all 50 states, U.S. territories, and 42 countries around the world, plus 68 student chapters...
(ASLA)
Life
Samuel Parsons was born in New Bedford, MassachusettsNew Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
in 1844 to Samuel Parsons Sr., an accomplished and well noted horticulturist, who was the first to import Japanese Maples
Acer palmatum
Acer palmatum, called Japanese Maple or Smooth Japanese Maple is a species of woody plant native to Japan, North Korea, South Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their attractive leaf...
and propagate rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s. Samuel received his practical training and knowledge of landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
and landscape materials working for J.R. Trumpy, the manager of his father’s nursery in Flushing, Queens
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
. Parsons then went to school at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
in 1862, after which he spent several years studying and practicing farming. When he returned home to the family nursery, a welcome surprise awaited him. The nursery was now in business with and supplying Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
and Calvert Vaux
Calvert Vaux
Calvert Vaux , was an architect and landscape designer. He is best remembered as the co-designer , of New York's Central Park....
, two famous designers most notably responsible for New York’s Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
design.
Parsons became an apprentice of Calvert Vaux
Calvert Vaux
Calvert Vaux , was an architect and landscape designer. He is best remembered as the co-designer , of New York's Central Park....
from 1879-1884 and his partner from 1887-1895. When Vaux became the head landscape architect
Landscape architect
A landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes direction of a landscape, garden, or distinct space. The professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
of the New York City Parks Department, with him came Parsons, who took over the unpaid position of Superintendent of Planting. After Vaux's death in 1895, Parsons became the new head landscape architect of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and remained there until 1911. During Parsons' partnership with Vaux
Vaux
-People:*Calvert Vaux , British-born American architect and landscape designer*Richard Vaux , an American politician, mayor of Philadelphia, and a member of the U.S...
, the two produced many notable designs, including: Abingdon Square and Christopher Street Park, both in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, the restoration of the Ladies Pond in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
(which at the time was infested with malaria carrying mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
s), the siting of Grant's Tomb
Grant's Tomb
General Grant National Memorial , better known as Grant's Tomb, is a mausoleum containing the bodies of Ulysses S. Grant , American Civil War General and 18th President of the United States, and his wife, Julia Dent Grant...
in Riverside Park
Riverside Park (Manhattan)
Riverside Park is a scenic waterfront public park on the Upper West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The park consists of a narrow four-mile strip of land between the Hudson River and the gently...
, and the completion of Morningside Park. In collaboration with architect Stanford White
Stanford White
Stanford White was an American architect and partner in the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, the frontrunner among Beaux-Arts firms. He designed a long series of houses for the rich and the very rich, and various public, institutional, and religious buildings, some of which can be found...
, Parsons and Vaux also produced the Washington Memorial Arch in Washington Square Park and the Grand Army Plaza Arch near Prospect Park
Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Prospect Park is a 585-acre public park in the New York City borough of Brooklyn located between Park Slope, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Kensington, Windsor Terrace and Flatbush Avenue, Grand Army Plaza and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Throughout their tenure together Parsons noticed that Vaux was a very passionate believer in naturalistic parks, but was reluctant to push himself forward.
After Vaux’s death, Parsons went on to design Balboa Park (then known as City Park) in San Diego, Albemarle Park in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, St. Nicholas Park
St. Nicholas Park
Saint Nicholas Park is a New York City public park located in Harlem at the intersection of Manhattan neighborhoods Hamilton Heights and Manhattanville. The nearly park is contained by 141st Street to the north, 128th Street to the south, St. Nicholas Terrace to the west, and St. Nicholas Avenue...
in New York City, a Dutch Garden for Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park is a park located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the fourth largest park in New York City, behind Pelham Bay Park, Flushing Meadows Park and Staten Island Greenbelt....
in the Bronx, and to re-design Union Square to accommodate the new subway station. New York City was the main beneficiary of Parsons' designs; they included numerous bathrooms, some designed to resemble Greek temples.
In 1899, Parsons founded the American Society of Landscape Architects
American Society of Landscape Architects
The American Society of Landscape Architects is the national professional association representing landscape architects, with more than 17,000 members in 48 chapters, representing all 50 states, U.S. territories, and 42 countries around the world, plus 68 student chapters...
(ASLA) in conjunction with 10 other well established landscape architects on a basis of three tenets:
- To establish landscape architectureLandscape architectureLandscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
as a recognized professionProfessionA profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. - To develop educational studies in landscape architectureLandscape architectureLandscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
. - To provide a voice of authority in the "New Profession".
From 1905 to 1907 Parsons served as the President of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Parsons published numerous magazine articles and at least six books on landscape gardening throughout his life. He depended on media publicity to accomplish a goal only once; he sought help from local newspapers to help rid Central Park of shantytowns.
Throughout his professional career, Parsons was known for his ability to merge elegant plantings and the extensive knowledge he had gained from his father with the native environment without disrupting the Genius Loci
Genius loci
In classical Roman religion a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place. It was often depicted in religious iconography as a figure holding a Cornucopia, patera and/or a snake. There are many Roman altars found in Western Europe dedicated in whole or in part to the particular Genius Loci...
(the spirit of place) of the sites he designed. He was able to maintain his design characteristics in all of his design projects without completely copying his earlier work. He remains a founding father of the modern day landscape architecture
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
institution, and his designs are still visible throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, primarily in San Diego’s Balboa Park and New York City's Union Square
Union Square (New York City)
Union Square is a public square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York.It is an important and historic intersection, located where Broadway and the former Bowery Road – now Fourth Avenue – came together in the early 19th century; its name celebrates neither the...
.
Parsons' most notable designs outside of New York City are Balboa Park in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and Pine Lawn Cemetery on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
Balboa Park/City Park
In 1902 the San Diego Chamber of Commerce formed a Park Improvement Committee to improve upon existing parks and develop new city parks. Kate Sessions, a committee member, convinced others that a professional landscape architect should be responsible for drawing up the plans for the new City ParkCity Park
City Park can refer to:Australia*Launceston City ParkCanada* City Park, Saskatoon, a neighbourhoodHungary* City Park Kenya* City Park, NairobiLuxembourg* City Park , a park in central Luxembourg CityUnited Kingdom...
, known today as Balboa Park. A local merchant, George W. Marston, who volunteered to pay a minimum of $4,000 and a maximum of $5,000 to the landscape architect who offered their services, arranged to meet Samuel Parsons during a business trip to New York City. The meeting went very well and Parsons was hired to design the park.
In December 1902 Parsons wrote down his first impressions of what he envisioned for the park. Interestingly, Parsons visited the site for the first time right after winter rains gave way to blooming wildflowers. He was able to record which type of native flowers grew on the land and where. He worked around this to create a sense of natural planting throughout the site. Parsons also discovered the site offered plenty of views ranging from mesas to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. His ultimate goal was to capture the outside world instead of blocking it like he did with previous park designs in New York City.
With the arrival of Samuel Parsons in San Diego came objections from the locals. Local business people, gardeners, politicians and clients for the project all objected to an outsider designing the city's largest park. They were convinced that only the locals knew the soil, climate, and plant conditions present throughout the site.
Parsons only visited the site four times, leaving the execution of his plans to his assistant, George Cooke. Parsons was able to do most of his work from his office in New York with the contour maps sent to him from the San Diego Bureau of Public Works. Throughout the construction and improvement of City Park, some locals called upon Parsons to design their private estates and grounds. 1911 was the last year Parsons was part of the project in San Diego. His initial plans weren't exactly matched and the result is a park that lacks what the designer initially had planned. With modern technology and the introduction of high-rise buildings many of the views the park initially offered no longer exist. Parsons had no idea what would be built on the City Park site in years to come. The 1200 acres (4.9 km²) park is now host to numerous buildings including; a velodrome, administrative offices and buildings, a golf course, a zoo, restaurants, gift shops and public schools. These are only some of the occupants of the park land. Out of the 1200 acres (4.9 km²) park only 263 acres (1.1 km²) are left as open spaces. Furthermore, most of the initial plants introduced by Parsons are dying or already gone. The City of San Diego has removed many of the trees and shrubs to decrease the number of transients living in the park. Balboa Park has left a lasting impression on the city of San Diego, although it no longer serves the romantic purpose Parsons had imagined.
Notable Designs
- Abingdon Square ParkAbingdon Square ParkAbingdon Square Park is located in the New York City borough of Manhattan in Greenwich Village. The park is bordered by Eighth Avenue, Bank Street, Hudson Street and West 12th Street....
, New York City - DeWitt Clinton ParkDeWitt Clinton ParkDeWitt Clinton Park is a New York City public park in the Hell's Kitchen, New York neighborhood between West 52nd Street and 54th Street and Eleventh Avenue and the West Side Highway in Manhattan....
, New York City - The Ladies Pond in Central Park, New York, New York
- Morningside Park, New York, City
- Washington Memorial Arch in Washington Square Park, New York (set location)
- the Grand Army Plaza Arch in Prospect Park, Brooklyn (set location)
- Balboa Park, San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
- Albemarle Park, Asheville, North Carolina
- St. Nicholas ParkSt. Nicholas ParkSaint Nicholas Park is a New York City public park located in Harlem at the intersection of Manhattan neighborhoods Hamilton Heights and Manhattanville. The nearly park is contained by 141st Street to the north, 128th Street to the south, St. Nicholas Terrace to the west, and St. Nicholas Avenue...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... - Union SquareUnion Square (New York City)Union Square is a public square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York.It is an important and historic intersection, located where Broadway and the former Bowery Road – now Fourth Avenue – came together in the early 19th century; its name celebrates neither the...
, New York City
See also
- Landscape architectureLandscape architectureLandscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
- History of gardeningHistory of gardeningThe history of ornamental gardening may be considered as aesthetic expressions of beauty through art and nature, a display of taste or style in civilized life, an expression of an individual's or culture's philosophy, and sometimes as a display of private status or national pride—in private...
- Garden real estateGarden real estateA category in the niche real estate market containing property with good gardens. The market can be sub-classified as follows:* Property with gardens by well-known Landscape designers. This is normally the work of designers whose work has been published in books and magazines...
- Landscape DesignLandscape designLandscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practised by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice landscape design bridges between landscape architecture and garden design.-Design scope:...
- Calvert VauxCalvert VauxCalvert Vaux , was an architect and landscape designer. He is best remembered as the co-designer , of New York's Central Park....
- Frederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...