The Piedmont Park Conservancy is hosting a series of FREE guided history tours this spring, to celebrate the legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. The tour schedule and registration info is below.
April 26, 2022 marks the 200th birthday of Olmsted. He and his successors designed thousands of landscape projects across the country, transforming American life and culture with his vision of public parks for all people.
During March and April, the Saturday history tours will highlight Olmsted’s design for Piedmont Park, which was originally forest, and then farmland. After that, the history tours continue on most Saturdays, with a more general focus.
The Olmsted bicentennial campaign
The Piedmont Park Conservancy is partner of the Olmsted 200 Campaign, a nationwide bicentennial birthday celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted and his vision.
You can learn more about Frederick Law Olmsted through the Campaign’s virtual exhibit — available either to view online or download. It’s a fun and informative way to learn more about the man who shaped some of Atlanta’s parks, as well as famous parks nationwide.
Screenshot of the Olmsted 200 Campaign’s virtual exhibit. Click the image to go to the start of the exhibit.
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Free Piedmont Park guided walking tours
On these history tours, you’ll learn about the park’s history, which is intertwined with the development of Atlanta.
Volunteer tour guides will explore how Piedmont Park developed from forest, to farmland, to fairgrounds — for the Piedmont Exposition of 1887 and then the Cotton States Exposition of 1895 — before finally becoming Atlanta’s iconic green space.
The tours during March and April will highlight Olmsted’s influence on the design of Piedmont Park. After that, the Saturday history tours will be more general for the rest of 2022.
The tours are FREE and open to all ages.
You’ll want to dress for the weather and wear appropriate walking shoes.
Your best bet is to register in advance.
Registration closes at noon the day before the tour. Walk-ups are welcome IF space allows.
Registration closes at 12pm the day before the tour. Walk ups are welcome but space is not guaranteed.
You will receive an email reminder a few days before your scheduled tour.
All tours start at 10 a.m. and last between 60 and 90 minutes. Come a few minutes early and meet at the park gate at 12th St. and Piedmont Ave.
2022 Piedmont Park history tour dates
- March — 5th, 12th, and 19th
- April — 2nd, 16th, 23rd, and 30th
- May — 7th, 14th, and 21st
- June — 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th
- July — 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th
- August — 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th
- September — 3rd, 10th, 24th
- October — 1st, 15th, 22nd, 29th
- November — 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th
- December — 3rd, 10th
Registration is open for all dates
Photo credit: Piedmont Arts Festival
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