no TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY 



On April lo, 1862, Messers. Olmsted and Vaux were appointed Landscape Architects 

 to the Board, receiving a joint compensation. 



On May 12, 1863, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux resigned, the former 

 to go to the front in the employ of the Sanitary Commission of the Federal Army. 



After various delays caused by legal complications, the land between io6th and iioth 

 Streets was added to the area of the park, and thus a very necessary addition made for the 

 purpose of creating a harmonious unit of design. The land was picturesque, and is, at 

 the present time, the most natural and beautiful part of the park. 



In the following year Manhattan Square was added to the park for the purpose of 

 establishing a Zoological Garden, which, however, was never built at this point. 



In February, 1866, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux were reappointed 

 Landscape Architects to the Board. Through all this development of the park, Ignatz 

 A. Pilat acted with great efficiency as landscape gardener, directing the details of all the 

 planting in accordance with the general plans of the Landscape Architects. He died 

 September, 1870, to the profound regret of the Commissioners, who passed resolutions 

 of respect and esteem. 



Until April, 1870, the Park Commission was a State Board appointed by the Governor. 

 On that date the Legislature created a Municipal Commission of five to be appointed 

 by the Mayor. 



On November 23, 1871, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux were appointed 

 Landscape Architects Advisory to the Board, having acted until this time as Landscape 

 Architects and General Superintendents. 



At this time the construction of the Park in its essential elements was completed, 

 costing nearly $6,000,000. This left, of course, a great deal of costly construction and 

 landscape work in the way of drainage, irrigation, fertilizing, and planting to be done. 



In May, 1872, Frederick Law Olmsted was made Commissioner temporarily during 

 the absence of Mr. Stebbins, and Calvert Vaux was made Landscape Architect and General 

 Superintendent. They acted in these respective capacities for five months, until October 

 24, 1872, when both of them resigned, and were reappointed; Frederick Law Olmsted 

 as Landscape Architect, and Calvert Vaux as Consulting Landscape Architect. 



In the meantime, Manhattan Square was selected as a suitable spot for the Museum 

 of Natural History, and soon after, Calvert Vaux, being the Architect of the museum, 

 resigned his position as Consulting Landscape Architect, June 4, 1873. 



Frederick Law Olmsted severed his connection with the Department in 1877, and 

 Calvert Vaux, having finished his work with the Museum of Natural History, was appointed 

 Landscape Architect, November 19, 1881, which position he held until January, 1883. 



In April, 1882, Samuel Parsons, Jr., was appointed Superintendent of Planting, and 

 on May 25, 1885, Superintendent of Parks. 



Calvert Vaux was reappointed Landscape Architect, January i, 1888, and held this 

 position until his death, November 18, 1895. 



It is evident, therefore, that the history of the design and construction of the Central 

 Park has for thirty-six years been closely related to the landscape work of Frederick Law 

 Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. 



Mr, Parsons showed many old prints and photographs of Central Park and two maps 

 prepared by Viele. 



