Samuel B. Parsons  1844- 1923

 

“The whole region is a mountain hillside, with trees, shrubs and vines largely clothing its slopes and therefore the intention is evident everywhere of supplementing the work of Nature in the same spirit but with a distinct view of making tasteful and comfortable human homes within its confines”

 

Samuel Parsons describes the natural environment
of Albemarle Park in his book How to Plan the
Home Grounds, published in 1901

 

 

Samuel Bowne Parsons Jr. was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1844. Parsons became an apprentice of Calvert Vaux from 1879–1884 and his partner from 1887-1895. After Vaux's death in 1895, Parsons became the new head landscape architect of New York City and remained there until 1911. Among his noteworthy landscapes are St. Nicholas and Seward Parks in New York City, The Mall in Washington D.C. and Balboa Park in San Diego. In 1899, Parsons helped found the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and from 1905 to 1907 Parsons served as its president.

 

Parsons developed the master plan for Albemarle Park and devoted an entire chapter to it in his book, "How to Plan the Home Grounds."