Tourisme vert à Montréal

2. The history of the mountain
2.1. Frederick Law Olmsted
• Frederick Law Olmsted drew up the design plans for Mount Royal. At that time, he was considered the most
famous landscape architect in North America.
• To appreciate Olmsted's work, one must keep in mind the era in which he lived. During his lifetime – from
1822 to 1903 – he witnessed the transformation of North America from a rural, agricultural society to an
urbanized, industrialized one.
• This social change did not take place without upheaval. In midlife, Olmsted began attempting to mitigate the
hardships brought on by industrialization and urbanization through his work as a landscape architect.
• In 1857, the man of letters shifted his focus to more manual work. He became the superintendent of Central
Park, the new park being built in New York. Because there was no precise plan, a design competition had
been held, and was won by Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux.
• Olmsted was then directing 4,000 men in what was the largest public works project in the country. Problems
with the paymaster led him to quit in 1861, just as the American Civil War was breaking out.
• With respect to Mount Royal Park, Frederick Olmsted wanted to preserve the natural charm of the
mountain. The winding path he laid out, which today bears his name, was designed to allow people to
discover the beauty of this natural space.
• He wanted the park to be accessible to everyone, regardless of social class or physical condition, and that
philanthropic wish was to be fulfilled.
Source:
-Les amis de la montagne, “La petite histoire du mont Royal,” Les amis de la montagne, n.d. n.d. .
Appendix I – Mount Royal