Olmsted Society of Riverside

Stewards of the Land and Olmsted’s Plan: In 1868, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his partner, Calvert Vaux, were commissioned to plan a unique community just west of Chicago, Illinois. The result was Riverside, a beautiful community along the Des Plaines River, complete with curving lanes, abundant greenery, and gas street lights. One hundred years later, the Frederick Law Olmsted Society of Riverside was formed.

Upcoming Events

11/8 – Landscape Workdays Workday: Longcommon

11/13 – Presentations Dam Busters-Undamming the Desplanes-13 Years Later

What's New

Undamming the Des Plaines 13 Years Later

All tours scheduled for Saturday, October 18th have been postponed due to a strong chance of rain and thunderstorms. Out of consideration for the comfort and safety of the tour attendees, tour guides and performers, we are rescheduling the tours planned for this evening. Ticketholders: Your tickets will be assigned to a tour on another date at the tour time you selected. Check your email for messages from the Ticketstripe/Olmsted Society of Riverside. Tickets for Saturday, October 25th are still available. We apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience postponing these tours may have caused

👻 Back by popular demand! Last year’s Olmsted Society Ghost Tours sold out — and this year they’re returning, bigger and more spooktacular than ever. 🕯️ Take a special “spooky” walking tour and uncover Riverside history, eerie occurrences, chilling tales, and local lore. 📅 Tour Dates: • Saturday, October 18th • Saturday, October 25th (Times in link below) 📍 Tours begin and end at the Riverside Train Station, 90 Bloomingbank Road. 🚶‍♂️ About 2 miles, 1-2 hours. ⚠️ Not suitable for children under 12. 🎟️ Tickets go on sale in September — don’t miss out! www.olmstedsociety.org/event_category/tours/ #riverside150 #ghosttour #riversideillinois #olmsted #spookyseason #hauntedhistory

👻 Back by popular demand! Last year’s Olmsted Society Ghost Tours sold out — and this year they’re returning, bigger and more spooktacular than ever. 🕯️ Take a special “spooky” walking tour and uncover Riverside history, eerie occurrences, chilling tales, and local lore. 📅 Tour Dates: • Saturday, October 18th • Saturday, October 25th (Times in link below) 📍 Tours begin and end at the Riverside Train Station, 90 Bloomingbank Road. 🚶‍♂️ About 2 miles, ~1 hour. ⚠️ Not suitable for children under 12. 🎟️ Tickets go on sale in September — don’t miss out! www.olmstedsociety.org/event_category/tours/ #riverside150 #ghosttour #riversideillinois #olmsted #spookyseason #hauntedhistory

Get Involved

Stewardship

We would love to have you join us to help preserve Olmsted’s legacy through volunteer work days to maintain our public lands, participation on special projects, and advocacy and historical research.

Learn

Education

Riverside is a unique and special place to live and visit and there is so much amazing history. We sponsor educational programs related to landscape design, architectural history, the environment, community history through tours, presentations, a curated Olmsted Collection at the Riverside Public library and on-line how to guides and resources.

Support

Community Engagement

The organization is 100% volunteer driven and there are great opportunities to support the community and have fun at the same time. It could be making a donation to support the preservation of Riverside's unique landscape in recognition of a loved one or sampling amazing local beers and wines at our largest community event, Hopstop, For members, our quarterly newsletter highlights the impact of our work and engagement with the community.