History

The simple elegance of the original design of this parkway is still evident today. Although the original planting plans have not been located, the design is sufficiently similar to the western portion of East 17th Avenue Parkway, suggesting either that it was designed by the Olmsted Brothers Firm or was copied from Olmsted's 1913 design for 17th Avenue Parkway.

Forest Street Parkway exhibits the same axial symmetry as is evident in Olmsted's plan for East 17th Avenue Parkway, with central plantings of evergreens and horizontal flowering trees and shrubs tapering to the verges. Although only two blocks long, this parkway includes a wide range of plant material similar to that of East 17th Avenue Parkway. Elms line both sides of the roadways. Recently removed trees showed an age of 73 years by tree ring count, dating the planting to about 1913. The intersections of both East 17th Avenue Parkway and Montview Boulevard with Forest Street Parkway are celebrated with formal flower beds which S.R. DeBoer added to the design.

Historical Evolution

Forest Street Parkway, a quiet Park Hill residential street, seems to be a well preserved parkway. The parkway was designed to foster a wide range of plant material onto which many new species have been added over the years.

The life span of many shrubs have been reached, in fact, some have probably long since outgrown their intended size.