Unexpected works by pioneers in landscape design
Today Seaway Design Group celebrates the legacy of landscape architects and designers who have made significant contributions to our field in an unexpected and often-overlooked area, cemeteries.
In today's blog, we’ll be highlighting three iconic cemeteries worth visiting. These spaces are rich in history and are fascinating places to wander. Fun fact, one of the most celebrated landscape architects in history is Frederick Law Olmsted, who is best known for designing Central Park in New York City was most certainly influenced by cemetery designs. He would later go on to design some of the nation’s most famous parks and cemeteries.
First on the list is Mountain View Cemetery - Oakland, California which is one of my favorite places in the Bay Area. Mountain View Cemetery is a 226-acre park-like cemetery located in the hills of Oakland, California. A short ferry ride from downtown San Francisco, this cemetery was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who began his designs in 1864. He took two years developing his plan for this incredibly unique space. The cemetery features meandering paths, iconic trees, and stunning views of the San Francisco Bay. Along the paths you’ll find Millionaires’ Row” where lavish crypts mark the final resting place of the many affluent figures including Domingo Ghirardelli, chocolatier, Charles Crocker, founder of the Southern Pacific Railroad, Henry J. Kaiser, industrialist, and Julia Morgan, California’s first woman to become a licensed architect. This is a little-known treasure of the Bay Area. If you’re in the area, it’s worth taking time to enjoy the work of the original landscape architect.
Second is Mount Auburn Cemetery - Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mount Auburn Cemetery was the first garden cemetery in the United States established in 1831 and is now a National Historic Landmark. Mount Auburn Cemetery’s ambitious design has served as inspiration for many designers including Olmsted. This is also the resting place to many notable individuals including botanist and the cemetery founder Jacob Bigelow, actor Edwin Booth (John’s Wilkes brother), architect Charles Bulfinch, Polaroid inventor Edwin H. Land, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and many more. Less than a 20-minute drive from the heart of Boston, this is a wonderful place to take a walk, meander through the grounds and enjoy the beautiful spaces adorned with thousands of trees.
Lastly, we have Green-Wood Cemetery - Brooklyn, New York. Green-Wood Cemetery was established in 1838 and is one of the most notable cemeteries in New York. This cemetery was designed by David Bates Douglass and inspired the designs of both Central Park and Prospect Park. This cemetery provided a public gathering place before the more well-known parks we associate with New York existed. This 478-acre cemetery is an outdoor museum featuring several famous gravesites, including those of Leonard Bernstein, Boss Tweed, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Next time you’re in New York, take a detour to experience this often overlooked and unique historic open space.
If you're a fan of design and/or history, cemeteries are wonderful places to explore and experience unique settings while enjoying the work of our most celebrated landscape architects and designers.