Rhode Island’s first designed parkway, Blackstone Boulevard Parkway, was originally designed in 1886 by H.W.S. Cleveland. Before any work could be done, Cleveland would pass away, with Olmsted Brothers being commissioned to complete the design. John Charles Olmsted, with Carl Rust Parker, took lead on the design, proposing that the Boulevard’s median and shoulders should be densely planted. Although the Olmsted Brother’s design intention with their planting has diminished over time, the Boulevard has not been significantly altered.
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service