Events Search and Views Navigation
July 2019
Schmitz Preserve Park Walking Tour
Bridge across stream in Schmitz Preserve Park, 1910. Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives, 30259. We will meet at the park sign near the intersection of 58th Ave. SW and SW Stevens St., close to Alki Elementary School. We’ll take a look at the park as a component of the Olmsted system of parks and boulevard, compare the plan John Charles Olmsted created for the park in 1908 with the layout of the park today, and enjoy the amazing forest that…
Find out more »June 2019
Denny-Blaine, Lakeview, & Viretta Parks Walking Tour
Learn about Olmsted's vision for Lake Washington Boulevard as it climbed the slope toward Washington Park, and view some early neighborhood parks established in 1901 with the platting of a new subdivision. We will also visit the Bush School's oldest building and a couple of estates designed by Olmsted. The tour will begin and end at Denny-Blaine Park, situated on the shore of Lake Washington, and from there ascend along Lake Washington Boulevard to Lakeview Park, continuing on to Viretta…
Find out more »May 2019
May 18th Walking Tour — SW Queen Anne Hill
Members of the Queen Anne Historical Society will be joining us and talking about early development and historical properties that we'll encounter on this walk.
Find out more »MOHAI History Café: Volunteer Park from Cemetery to City Landmark
Join Jennifer Ott as she uncovers how Volunteer Park’s designers, caretakers, and users have shaped its ever-evolving landscape. Wednesday, May 15, 2019 6:30 – 8:30 pm For more information, please see the posting on MOHAI's website https://mohai.org/event/history-cafe-volunteer-park-from-cemetery-to-city-landmark/
Find out more »January 2019
September 2018
Correction — Walking Tour Date
Please note that the date for our final walking tour of the season, through Cal Anderson Park, has been changed. Originally scheduled for Saturday, September 15, it is now to occur the following Saturday, September 22nd. We are still meeting at 10:00am, by the Shelter House. We do hope you will join us! Cal Anderson Park
Find out more »August 2018
Interlaken Park & Boulevard Walking Tour
Come learn about some of the park’s history, including how the roadway traces an earlier bike trail system and how the park fulfills some basic tenets of the Olmsted Brothers’ design philosophy. Given this summer’s heat, a walk through the woods may be just the thing! We will meet and start at the intersection of 19th Ave. E and E Galer Street and take off downhill from there. The tour will entail ~2.8 miles of walking and last 2-2.5 hours.…
Find out more »May 2018
A Park System for All: The Olmsted Vision for Seattle – May 10th
Join historian and former FSOP board member at the Mercer Island Public Library on May 10th at 7:00 p.m. to learn about Seattle's Olmsted Brothers-designed park and boulevard system. Jennifer will talk about the Olmsted Brothers' vision for the park system, how it was implemented, and how it has shaped Seattle and contributed to the the city's livability. The event is free and open to the public. Mercer Island Public Library is located at 4400 88th Ave SE, Mercer Island,…
Find out more »September 2017
Volunteer Park Fall Restoration Day – September 17
Save the date for the Volunteer Park Trust's 6th annual fall clean up event on September 17, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This major restoration effort brings scores of friends and neighbors together to make a huge impact on Volunteer Park. In past years volunteers have prepared beds for replanting (according to the original Olmsted plans), laid new gravel on paths, cleared out invasive weeds, and planted shrubs. Their efforts supplement the park staffs' work caring for the…
Find out more »Join us September 16th 2017 for a Walking Tour and the Annual Meeting!
Our final walking tour for 2017 will be held at Washington Park Arboretum at 10:00am. We will meet in front of the Graham Visitors Center. Jennifer Ott and Andy Mitton will be leading the tour that will highlight the beginnings of the Arboretum as well as present-day activities. There will be an opportunity for a sneak peek at the Arboretum Loop Trail and a discussion of how the route follows trails indicated within the 1936 Olmsted Brothers general plan for…
Find out more »April 2017
Volunteer Park Amphitheater Design Review
The Volunteer Park Trust's Amphitheater replacement project is presenting the schematic design developed by ORA Architects at a public meeting on April 6, at 5:00 p.m., in the Volunteer Park Conservatory. The Trust is interested in the public's feedback on the design. Project leads ORA Architects, Seattle Parks representatives, and Volunteer Park Trust members will be on hand to answer questions. For more information, visit the Trust's project page.
Find out more »March 2017
Colman Park Vista Restoration Project Meeting
Learn about where the effort to restore the Olmsted view corridor through Colman Park stands. Bradner Park meeting room - 1730 Bradner Pl S, Seattle, WA 98144 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. If you’re new to this project, you’re invited to arrive at 6:30. Project organizers will have a short presentation to share the background and answer questions. If this is of interest to you, please RSVP (colmanparkvista@gmail.com). Please pass this invitation along to anyone who might like to learn more…
Find out more »September 2016
FSOP at Mt Baker Hub Fest – September 18-19
This weekend, the Mount Baker Hub Business Association and Friends of Mount Baker Town Center are hosting a two-day program as part of Seattle Design Fest 2016. On Sunday September 18, 2016, a set of local musicians and artists will be showcased at the Mount Baker Hub Fest. The Bicycle Sunday closure of Lake Washington Boulevard will be extended up Mount Baker Boulevard to the town center. Then, on Monday, a set of visionary “Lightning Talks” will explore the unique…
Find out more »Join us September 17th 2016 for a Walking Tour and Annual Meeting!
Our final summer walking tour of 2016 will be held at Woodland Park. Meet at 10:00 am at Picnic Shelter #4 west of the off-leash dog park and near the 59th St. entrance to the park on Aurora Ave. Join us to learn more about the Park that was classified in the 1903 Olmsted Bros. report as ‘charmingly close to nature.’ and why this property was considered ‘the most cherished piece of park property in the system.’ The annual meeting…
Find out more »July 2016
Volunteer Park Summer Events 2016
Picnic in the Park Thursday, July 21 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Music, food trucks, entertainment - all in a beautiful park! Volunteer Park Walking Tours July 30 or October 8 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Tour the park and learn about the Olmsted Brothers design, the park's historic structures, and the surrounding neighborhood. For more information visit their events page: http://volunteerparktrust.org/. 2015 Picnic in the Park. Photo by Nataworry Photography. Courtesy Volunteer Park Trust.
Find out more »Mini Walking Tour in Ravenna-Cowen Parks
Join King County In Motion, Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Parks and the Ravenna Bryant Community Association for a midday history walk and field game extravaganza! Learn the secrets of Ravenna and Cowen parks with historian, Jennifer Ott, on a 30 minute walking tour. Afterwards, hop, jump, and toss your way through field games at Ravenna Park. Meet us near the Play Area off of N.E. 55th St. starting at 11:30am on Saturday, July 16th! Design for Cowen Park entry, 1909.…
Find out more »February 2016
Come See Us at the NW Flower and Garden Show!
This year's Northwest Flower and Garden Show is at the Washington State Convention Center, February 17th to 21. FSOP will have be talking with visitors about Seattle's Olmsted legacy and, in keeping with this year's garden show theme, "America the Beautiful," we'll have information about the work done by the Olmsted landscape architecture firms across the country. Stop by and enter a drawing for a bundle of great items donated by FSOP and members of the GCNN: *Greenscapes: Olmsted's Pacific Northwest By…
Find out more »September 2015
TreePAC Candidate Forum
FSOP has joined with TreePAC, a group of local non-profits who collaborate to influence the government to protect, maintain and increase the urban forest, to host a candidate forum at the Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st Street) on Tuesday, September 29th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Candidates for Seattle City Council will answer questions regarding their views on preserving and improving urban forests. Urban forest and green spaces, as you know, create healthy and livable communities and were…
Find out more »Mount Baker Town Center Street Festival – Sept. 20th
The Friends of Mount Baker Town Center have organized a street festival to coincide with the last Bicycle Sunday of the year. It will take place on Sunday, September 20, from 11:30am to 6:00pm at the Mount Baker Station and Artspace Mt. Baker Lofts (2915 Rainier Ave S). This free family-friendly event will include music, entertainment, food trucks, and art exhibits on the Sound Transit Plaza and inside the Artspace Mt. Baker Lofts Community Room. Come down to hang out…
Find out more »Walking Tour and Annual Meeting in Volunteer Park – September 19th
JOIN US for the 2015 ANNUAL MEETING Saturday, September 19th Tour of Volunteer Park – 10:00 a.m. Business Meeting and Potluck Lunch – 12:00 p.m. Meet at the Black Sun sculpture across from the Seattle Asian Art Museum Depending on the weather, we will picnic on the grass east of the amphitheater, in the shelter house west of the playground, or at the top of the water tower (provided everyone can join us at the top). During our short business…
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