History of Greenways: Recreational

In the 1850's, the city of Hartford, as well as the city of New York were in the forefront of the American Park Movement with the development of both Central Park in New York and Bushnell Park in Hartford. The driving force behind this movement was a Connecticut native, Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. The American Park Movement was different than the creation of the typical New England Town Commons that were used as grazing and work areas for residents. Olmsted recognized the restorative powers of nature in the cities (John Alexopoulos, 1983). For nature starved urban dwellers, parks and open spaces were deemed essential to minimize the effects of urban pollution and improve one's health. Olmsted's idea of creating city parks was not widely accepted at first. The first such park built in Hartford was Bushnell Park. Olmsted and Jacob Weidemann, a Swiss born landscape designer, designed this park, consisting of 40 acres in the heart of Hartford. It was named after the Reverend Horace Bushnell who befriended Olmsted and who also believed that one must go to nature to better understand God (John Alexopoulos, 1983). By the late 19th century, Olmsted's concept of creating a linked system of city parks, that were accessible to all parts of the city, was well under way. His sons, as well as Charles Eliot were now executing his ideas. Many new parks were created around the city of Hartford including; Elizabeth Park, Hyland Park, Pope Park, Goodwin Park, Keney Park and Riverside Park. Olmsted had hoped to also connect the parks with terraced parkways but that idea proved to be too costly at the time and was never developed. (John Alexopoulos, 1983). The year 1896 saw the development of the Connecticut Forestry Association, which was later to become the Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA). The objectives of the Association were to: 1. To develop public appreciation of the value of forests, and of the urgent need for preserving and using them rightly. 2. To disseminate information relating to the science of forestry, the proper use of forests and the care of trees. 3. To secure the passage and enforcement of laws directed toward the preservation, maintenance and increase of forests in Connecticut and throughout the U.S. 4. To forward the establishment of the state and national parks and reservations, and the introduction of forest management on those and other forest lands. 5. To introduce and encourage the study of forestry and kindred topics in the schools. " (George McLean Milne, 1995 pp.5-6)

Early successes of this Association included the appointment of a state forester in 1901 as well as the purchase of land by the state for reforestation. These actions were significant in that Connecticut was the first state in the country to have a state forester and state forest lands. Additional laws were passed at this time that also provided for town tree wardens and the care and protection of shade trees. A good understanding of the state's political system and the goal of promoting legislation to further protect Connecticut's landscape continues to be a successful approach of this Association (George McLean Milne, 1995 p. 8). Interest in land conservation and forestry was also developing at the National level. In 1891 a federal law was passed that allowed for the creation of forest reserves across the United States. These reserves eventually became our National Forests. Another Connecticut native, Gifford Pinchott was instrumental in this process and became the Chief Forester of the United States in 1905 (George McLean Milne, 1995 p. 6). The Yale School of Forestry, the oldest in the Nation, was founded in the year 1900. Yale was instrumental in creating a demonstration forest in Union, Connecticut that was used to educate landowners in forestry techniques. Connecticut became the first state in the country to introduce scientific forestry (Compiled by Edgar L. Heermance, 1935, p.xxvii). Yale continues to be the leading school of forestry in the country.