October 6, 2013, 2-4 pm Walking (and Talking) the Paths of Roland Park Offered in collaboration with the Kaleidoscope Program, Roland Park Country School. Registration is through Kaleidoscope here.
Led by Judy Dobbs and Kathy Hudson
A typical pathway from ‘A book of pictures in Roland Park, Baltimore, Maryland’ 1911
This is a repeat of one of our most popular seasonal adventures! Join with friends to discover and explore a unique feature of the Roland Park community. In developing this community in the late 1800s, the Roland Park Company incorporated into its plan a series of footpaths, 18 in all, designed to expedite foot traffic between various sections of the neighborhood, especially in those where the terrain made it difficult to build roads. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., son of the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., in collaboration with Edward H. Bouton, general manager of the Roland Park Company, the paths were part of a hierarchical system of roads in front of houses, service lanes in the rear, and footpaths that provided convenient ways to cross through the neighborhood in a natural setting. Each path is named with a distinctly country ring: Squirrel, Hilltop, Laurel, Tulip; others are decidedly British: Audley End, Tintern, St. Margaret’s, Litchfield. In 1991, the paths were refurbished and most are marked by cedar posts and handmade white oak replicas of the original breadboard signs.
October 13, 2013, 1-3 pm Guilford: The Golden Age of American Residential Development and Design
Offered in collaboration with the Kaleidoscope Program, Roland Park Country School. Registration is through Kaleidoscope here.
Led by Ann Giroux and David Gleason
Celebrate the Centennial of the Guilford Community by exploring this distinctive Baltimore neighborhood with a rich history, stunning architecture, and sensitive site planning. The 210 acres of land that are now Guilford were developed in the early 20th Century by the Roland Park Company, with the layout of the community designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and the renowned Olmsted Brothers firm. Within the development, the Olmsteds planned a series of roads that led circulation throughout the neighborhood in a hierarchy of boulevards, streets, lanes, circles and squares. A variety of lot sites and building types offered many options for home dwellers and a series of open spaces, parks and squares provide unique areas seldom seen in suburban land development. Complementing the innovative site design are a collection of distinctive and architecturally significant single family, semi-detached and row house dwellings that were designed by the leading architects of the day such as John Russell Pope, Laurence Hall Fowler and Palmer & Lamdin. The Olmsted vision made Guilford a model of development, one that still offers ideals that are as current today as they were one hundred years ago. The walking tour will explore Guilford’s Olmsted plan, diverse architectural treasures and the neighborhood’s signature Sherwood Gardens, one of the most famous tulip gardens in North America.
