December 20, 2001 Frederick Law Olmsted's Residential Designs To Be Discussed on Tuesday, January 29

Charles E. Beveridge, editor of the papers of American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, will present an illustrated talk about Olmsted's residential designs at 12 noon, Tuesday, Jan. 29, in the Mumford Room, sixth floor, James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. Part of the Center for the Book's "Books & Beyond" author series, the program is cosponsored with the Gardens and Landscape Design Forum of the Library of Congress Professional Association (LCPA).

Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), perhaps best known for his design with architect Calvert Vaux of New York City's Central Park, completed several hundred landscape projects throughout the United States, mostly after the Civil War. Professor Beveridge, will focus on a less well-known side of Olmsted's talent. His presentation is titled "The Park-maker and his Patrons at Home: The Residential Designs of Frederick Law Olmsted." The Library of Congress is the major repository of Olmsted's personal papers and professional records.

Charles E. Beveridge has been research professor and series editor of the Olmsted papers project at American University since 1986. Seven volumes of the papers have been published thus far by the Johns Hopkins Press. Dr. Beveridge's other publications include Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing the American Landscape (Universe, 1998) and Olmsted's biography in the American National Biography (Oxford University Press, 1998).

The LCPA Gardens and Landscape Design Forum was founded in 1999 to sponsor programs on garden history and design, arrange tours of private and Federal gardens on Capitol Hill, and organize spring and fall plant and seed exchanges. The Center for the Book was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. For information about its program, publications, and the activities of its affiliated centers in 44 states and the District of Columbia, visit its Web site at www.loc.gov/cfbook.