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.

New Riverside Historic Marker:    Historic Riverside, Illinois received National Landmark status in 1970, and has a robust local landmarking program.  Now, its historic significance has been recognized by the Illinois State Historical Society.   Since 1934, the state society has recognized more than 400 sites with national or state historical significance.  Riverside now joins the list of prominent places that includes Springfield’s Old State Capitol, Lincoln’s law office, the Chicago Portage, Camp Douglas and more.  orking with the Village of Riverside, the Olmsted Society of Riverside applied for the marker, and paid for its initial cost.  “It’s been a great partnership,” says Cathy Maloney, who coordinated the program for the Olmsted Society. “The Village staff and Board of Trustees have been so receptive to the effort.  Public Works helped find an ideal location and to install the sign.”   The State of Illinois Historical Society, having approved the application, worked with the foundry to create the cast aluminum sign.  Riverside will be added to the online state map of historical sites.

Upcoming Events

12/12 – Presentations Illinois Historic Marker Dedication Ceremony
1/16 – Presentations Annual Meeting Presentation – From Catesby to Audubon: Natural History Art and Olmsted’s Legacy of Nature
1/16 – Annual Meetings Annual Public Meeting 2026

What's New

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📜 Riverside Receives State Historical Marker! Historic Riverside, Illinois has long been recognized as a National Historic Landmark (1970) and maintains a robust local landmarking program. Now, its exceptional historic significance has been honored once again — this time by the Illinois State Historical Society. 🌟 Marker Dedication Ceremony 📅 Friday, December 12 🕓 4:00 p.m. 📍 Centennial Park, Riverside The public is warmly invited to attend this special dedication event as the Village unveils its official state historical marker, awarded by the Illinois State Historical Society. Since 1934, the state society has recognized more than 400 sites of national or statewide importance. Riverside joins notable locations such as Springfield’s Old State Capitol, Lincoln’s law office, the Chicago Portage, and Camp Douglas, among many others. This recognition is the result of a wonderful collaboration between the Village of Riverside and the Olmsted Society of Riverside. Working closely with Village staff, the Olmsted Society coordinated and funded the initial marker application. “It’s been a great partnership,” says Cathy Maloney, who coordinated the program for the Olmsted Society. “The Village staff and Board of Trustees have been so receptive to the effort. Public Works helped find an ideal location and to install the sign.” The Illinois State Historical Society approved the application and worked with a foundry to create the cast aluminum marker that will be officially installed and celebrated. Riverside will also be added to the statewide online map of historical sites, marking another milestone in recognizing our community’s unique place in Illinois history.
Olmsted Society of Riverside's Annual Meeting with Guest Speaker David Oppenheimer
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

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.