I shall post some excerpts from the above here:
Swan Pond is another aspect of Riverside needing more documentation. In its current
state it contains stairways, paths and levees, many from the Works Progress Administration-
(WPA) era of the 1930s. Cairns and Kesler performed an inventory of this area in their report,
but never once mentioned the WPA. It would be interesting to understand if any of the existing
paths follow their original layout, which landscape features may be historical contributions of the
WPA, and which may have no historical significance. Historical photographs and writings could
be used to piece together this area as it looked in the late 1800s. Does it correspond to Olmsted
Revisiting Riverside: A Frederick Law Olmsted Community
and Vaux's General Plan that shows a Picnic Island? Attention to this area is justified as many
residents indicate that Swan Pond is their favorite public, outdoor space within the Riverside
landscape. (See Chapter 8, Residents' Perception of Riverside.) Additionally, there is discussion
about proposed work involving the Army Corps of Engineers in this area, including the removal
of Hoffman Dam. Increased understanding of the design and development stages of this area
could be a valuable and interesting educational tool for residents and village leaders.
What is important to remember about the design principles or individual elements of the
design is that they are part of the whole. The original design begins to lose its integrity as
individual elements, such as the sunken roads, cobblestone gutters and naturalistic plantings
within public areas and setbacks, are lost. Cairns and Kesler said it well:
It should be noted that these singular elements: large houses, 100' lots, cobbled-
gutter streets and adjacent park and parkway containing informal planting, are
integrally related. Each supports the next and the composite effect is the
perceived rural character which closely resembles that proposed by the Olmsted
and Vaux design. In places where only one or two of these elements exist, the
effect is less striking (56).
Straka also makes the following point: “The overall scene was of ultimate importance with all
individual elements of the composition subordinated to and supporting the total setting— (2).
Many residents and Riverside's leaders recognize this. However, original features of the design
have been lost even recently (for example the cobblestone gutters), and reaching consensus
among the residents and various interest groups is extremely challenging for the village. What is
encouraging is the level of interest among residents, the village leadership and, recently, the
involvement of the National Park Service (NPS). With the level of experience the NPS brings,
the village may have better access to information regarding planning and funding for preservation
efforts.