In 1889, Seattle entrepreneur Guy Phinney purchased 179-acres for the development of a commercial park. It would take another fourteen years for Olmsted Brothers to be hired and begin designing Woodland Park, which would be the city’s largest. With John Charles Olmsted taking the lead, he prepared his first report for Woodland Park, suggesting one section be reserved for a zoo, and the other retained for passive and active recreation.
In 1908, John Charles created a new plan for Woodland Park and the zoo, with the Great Lawn serving as its focal point. With zoo buildings arranged next to formal gardens, a playground, wading pool, and tennis courts were placed along the Great Lawn’s boundary. Believing native forests are vital to urban areas, John Charles preserved the area’s natural woods, and enhanced them through a network of trails.
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service