In 1905, Portland, Maine’s mayor James Baxter hired Olmsted Brothers to further develop the Eastern Promenade and create a master plan for a cohesive park system. John Charles Olmsted and Henry Hubbard took lead on design of the Eastern Promenade, proposing they follow the natural topography of the site. Their plan introduced pedestrian paths along the hillside as well as an overpass for pedestrians.
Olmsted Brothers divided the Eastern Promenade into four areas: a baseball field, a play field, a children’s playground and a “Little Children’s Lawn". Eastern Promenade focuses on active and passive recreation, as well as separate areas for different types of play and age level. Deciduous trees were planted along the Eastern Promenade to frame, not block, scenic views.
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service