Frederick Law Olmstead
Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903) is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture. Olmsted was famous for co-designing many well-known urban parks such as Central Park in New York City, Boston’s Emerald Necklace and the Niagara Reservation in Niagara Falls, New York. The quality of Olmsted's landscape architecture was recognized by his contemporaries, who showered him with prestigious commissions.
Quincy is proud to have a park designed by Frederick Law Olmstead under commission from Charles Francis Adams, a prominent Quincy resident of the time.
Learn more about designing American Parks on your local PBS station. If you missed the original broadcast of FREDERICK LAW OLMSTEAD: DESIGNING AMERICA, no worries.... you can see the full video here.
Grossman Family
The Grossman family has New England roots dating back more than 100 years, when the family patriarch, Louis Grossman, immigrated to the United States from Podeski, Russia in 1890. Once in the US, he started a salvage business that eventually turned into the lumber and building materials business known as Grossman Lumber, which was for many years the largest distributor of its kind in the Eastern United States. At its peak, Grossman Lumber had 87 retail lumber branches located in New England and New York, and was managed by 10 Grossman family members.
Grossman Park, is a 50-acre preserve of wetlands and upland area along Quincy's shoreline. The park was given to the City by the Grossman family in the 1960's.
Adams Family
Adams National Historical Park was the home of two American presidents and subsequent generations of their descendants from 1720 to 1927. The family's experience represented, shaped, and mirrored significant events in the social, cultural, political, and intellectual history of the nation.
The purpose of the park is to preserve and protect the grounds, homes, and personal property of four generations of the Adams family and to use these resources to interpret the history they represent and to educate and inspire current and future generations. In addition, the Adams Memorial Society, consisting of members of the Adams family, charged the National Park Service with the distinct mission to "foster civic virtue and patriotism" at Adams National Historical Park.
This mission still continues today through partnerships, including those with the Adams Memorial Society, local organizations, and the city of Quincy.