The Olmsted

The Olmsted, constructed between 1925 and 1927, is located on the campus of the former Masonic Widows and Orphans Home. It is located at 3701 Frankfort Avenue in the historic Crescent Hill-St. Matthews area. Designed by the architectural firm of Joseph and Joseph, the buildings were arranged on an elongated oval landscape plan with most of the buildings placed along the outer edge of the property, which extends roughly 80 acres. At the center of this plan lies The Olmsted. Once referred to as the dining hall, The Olmsted was the center of activity for all occupants of the Home. The Olmsted was named after Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., of the nationally recognized landscape architectural firm, The Olmsted Brothers. The Olmsted Brothers were well recognized in Louisville at the time, having designed numerous parks and other projects in the city since the late nineteenth century. Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. was most famous for having designed Central Park in New York City. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. continued the legacy of his family by specializing in the preservation of natural park like settings, especially in urban areas. Believing that natural environments provided healthier living conditions, he designed many of these areas for neighborhoods with a predominance of concrete. The Home’s landscape design includes mature trees lining the paved driveways and two large grass areas in the center of the complex. This setting provided the occupants of the Home an abundance of natural sp