Lawrence Cotton, a public historian and filmmaker, described Frederick Law Olmsted’s life, design principles and the geographic reach of his work during a public program at the Simsbury Public Library. Cotton traced Olmsted’s career from Central Park and Prospect Park to regional park systems in Buffalo, the Pacific Northwest and multiple Connecticut sites, and answered audience questions about local Olmsted connections.

Why it matters: Cotton framed parks as civic infrastructure, not mere amenities, and emphasized that many Olmsted landscapes continue to shape public space, conservation work and local restoration projects. Audience members asked about nearby examples and ongoing efforts to document and preserve Olmsted sites.

Cotton summarized Olmsted’s career as a mix of social reformer, writer, administrator and landscape designer, noting the scale of the firm’s output: "700 public parks and 6,000 commissions across The US and Canada from east to west, north to south," he said. He read from Olmsted’s own writing to underline the designer’s long view: "I have all my life been considering distant effects and always sacrificing immediate success and applause to that of the future." Cotton also quoted Olmsted’s account of Central Park’s purpose: "It is 1 great purpose of the park to supply to hundreds of thousands of tired workers who have no opportunity to spend their summers in the country inexpensively what a month or 2 in the White Mountains or the Adirondacks is at great cost to those in easier circumstances."

Cotton reviewed national examples (Central Park, Prospect Park, the Buffalo park system, the Biltmore Estate, Yosemite) and then focused on Connecticut and the Connecticut River Valley, calling out Seaside Park and Beardsley Park in Bridgeport, Hubbard Park in Meriden, Walnut Hill Park in New Britain, Keeney Park in Hartford, Trinity College’s Olmsted core and other local sites. He noted there is debate about whether Bushnell Park was an Olmsted design, saying Olmsted was consulted but "he wasn't the designer" because he was occupied with Central Park at the time.

Host Susan (identified during the program as a Simsbury Land Trust member and president of the Simsbury Grange) opened the event and promoted related programming at Trinity College. She said the film From Sea to Shining Sea will screen "for free tomorrow in Trinity College's historic theater called Cine Studio at 09:30 AM and 12:15 PM," and that Cotton would present the film again "at 2 PM at McCook Auditorium at Trinity College." She also announced a 7 PM showing of Stewart Udall and the Politics of Beauty.

During audience Q&A, Cotton addressed questions about plant selection, nonnative species in nineteenth‑century plantings, and the design intent behind slow reveals and curvilinear routes at estates such as Biltmore. Cotton said Olmsted often used a muted planting palette and preferred subtle plantings over showy flowerbeds. Local questions also turned to student work: Susan said, "My students did a project called Voices of Keeney Park and got the president's award from the National Olmsted Network," and that students will travel to Washington, D.C., on October 24 to receive the award.

Cotton recommended several books and his PBS film on Olmsted, noting the film (Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America) is available on pbs.org, Amazon Prime and YouTube. He closed by reiterating Olmsted’s civic argument that parks promote public health, democratic gathering and a long-term view for city planning.

The program was followed by audience questions and brief discussion about local preservation and documentation efforts; attendees were encouraged to pick up materials from the table and to consult the Connecticut chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for a cultural landscape report that documents Olmsted works in Connecticut.

Cotton’s presentation and the Q&A provided historical context and a local connection for residents and students interested in park restoration, landscape preservation and civic planning.