In 1912, Olmsted Brothers were commissioned to develop a park for Caldwell, New Jersey, with a large portion of the park being used for both passive and active recreational purposes. John Charles Olmsted and Percival Gallagher were tasked with designing Grover Cleveland Park, with Gallagher taking a leadership role in the design process.
After a visit in December of that year, Gallagher wrote to Caldwell officials and the Olmsted office in Brookline that “…general conditions for drainage are good, the soil for the most part is gravelly, and the lay of the land with reference to the sun is particularly advantageous. It is a rare piece of ground for park purposes and possesses sufficient area that can be reasonably converted into playgrounds to meet the demands for a great many years."
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service