The Olmsted Linear Park 

Even before the paths in the restored Olmsted Linear Park were completed, they attracted walkers and joggers. Pathways were integral to the parks Olmsted created. Routes were carefully devised to allow the visitor to enjoy the most scenic vistas, the bend in the path repeating the curve of the landscape. A parkway was another Olmstedian component, used in the residential suburbs he designed. He intended Ponce de Leon Parkway (its original name) not only to connect Druid Hills to the city but to provide space for recreational riding and carriage-driving. The traffic that hurries along Ponce de Leon Avenue today is more utilitarian, but as commuters enter the winding green corridor, they find release from the pressures of the city. “We want a ground to which people may easily go after the day’s work is done,” Olmsted wrote. A century later, his artistic vision is still bringing pleasure to Atlantans.