Photo: Maureen Marlow, 2022
Olmsted-Beil House Listed on National
Register of Historic Places
Upcoming Events
The History of Staten Island with Patricia M. Salmon
and the Friends of Olmsted-Beil House
A four-part series for the general public
August 11, 13, 18, and 20, 2022
Register for the entire 4-part series at a discounted rate of $36 or attend individual presentations at $10 each.
The August 11 (Part 3) and August 18 (Part 4) events will be
presented in person at the Kaasmann House (4485 Hylan Blvd. Eltingville).
The August 13 (Part 1, rescheduled) and August 20 (Part 2, rescheduled) events will be
remote option only, via Zoom.
Friday August 26, 2022 9:00 am
Join New York City Councilman Joseph Borelli (District 51) and the Friends of Olmsted-Beil House for a ceremony celebrating the co-naming of Woods of Arden Road to Frederick Law Olmsted Way.
The Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted and the Vanderbilt Mausoleum
Saturday, September 17, 2022 2:00 PM
In designing the Vanderbilt Cemetery grounds, Olmsted struggled with the massiveness of the mausoleum and the types of plantings that would highlight it, while not distracting the visitor’s eye. In this talk, discover how Olmsted faced some of the greatest challenges of his career while designing the landscape around this colossal tomb for the dead.
In the News
WNYC Radio Features Olmsted-Beil House Park in April 27, 2022 Report
In its Morning Edition show on April 27, 2022, WNYC Radio included an interview by producer Amy Pearl of FOBH Board member Tina Kaasmann-Dunn at Olmsted-Beil House Park. In the report, “Good Things: Olmsted Farmhouse,” Tina describes the improvements Olmsted made to the property, including making his first plantings ever. Upon seeing the trees planted by Olmsted, Amy exclaims, “The stars of the show are definitely the trees!”
Listen here: https://www.wnyc.org/story/
Olmsted-Beil House Featured in Bowery Boys Episode
The Bowery Boys history podcast episode released on April 7, 2022–about Olmsted at the start of his career–features Olmsted-Beil House and Tosomock Farm, describing the site as “a historic place of inspiration.”
The episode can be found here ».
Many thanks to the Bowery Boys for including Olmsted’s Staten Island farmhouse in their story, and to Adrian Benepe and Olmsted 200 for championing the house and its significance.
Friends of Olmsted-Beil House Introduces
Discovery Map: Olmsted on Staten Island
This map illustrates some of the Staten Island locations associated with the life of pioneering landscape architect, author and social reformer Frederick Law Olmsted.
Friends of Olmsted-Beil House Hosts Visit by Preeminent Olmsted Scholars
On Sunday, October 3, 2021, the Friends of Olmsted-Beil House hosted a visit to Olmsted-Beil House Park by preeminent Frederick Law Olmsted scholars Charles E. Beveridge, PhD, and Faye Harwell, FASLA, RLA. Dr. Beveridge is Series Editor of the Frederick Law Olmsted Papers, an ardent supporter of the preservation of Olmsted landscapes, and one of the founders of the National Association for Olmsted Parks. Ms. Harwell is an award-winning landscape architect and co-founder of the Rhodeside & Harwell landscape architecture and planning firm. Read more »
Press Coverage
Calls for New York State to Release Funds for Purchase of Property Abutting the Olmsted Farmhouse
The National Association for Olmsted Parks, with The Garden Club of America, National Recreation and Parks Association, City Parks Alliance, American Society of Landscape Architects, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, and Landscape Architecture Foundation, sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo to release the funds that New York State allocated to purchase 1.2 acres immediately adjoining the Olmsted farmhouse. Read more »
Olmsted: The Scientific Farmer on Staten Island
(January 15, 2021) National Association for Olmsted Parks–Olmsted 200 Read more »
Get to Know Friends
The Friends of Olmsted-Beil House is the nonprofit organization protecting, preserving, and presenting the Olmsted-Beil House historic site. Video Collection
View our extensive collection of videos about the Olmsted-Beil House Historic Site.
About the Historic Site
The Olmsted-Beil House historic site is where landscaping genius Frederick Law Olmsted pioneered many of the techniques he later incorporated in Central Park and other acclaimed, transformational projects. The site is located in Eltingville on the south shore of Staten Island, at 4515 Hylan Blvd. The 1.7-acre site and two-story farmhouse are all that remain intact of the 130-acre farm dating back to the 17th century. Frederick Law Olmsted and naturalist and educator Carlton Beil and their families are among the many owners who made their homes and located their businesses there.
In 1967, the house was designated a New York City Landmark, and in 2006, the site became part of the NYC Parks system. For safety considerations, the house is closed to the public while it undergoes restoration.