Join historian and filmmaker Laurence Cotton as he takes a deep dive into the remarkable life and career
of Frederick Law Olmsted, creator of some of the most beautiful public and private parks and gardens in all of North America. Laurence will talk about design traditions, aesthetics and philosophies that influenced Olmsted's thought and give a visual tour of representative masterful landscapes designed by Olmsted, his two sons and the Olmsted Bros. landscape architecture firm, the legacy of which can be seen across North America, including the Upper Midwest Great Lakes states and Geneva Lake.

YERKES OBSERVATORY

In 2020, Yerkes Future Foundation assumed stewardship of Yerkes Observatory, the birthplace of modern astrophysics, and is currently leading a major campaign to restore the 1897 architectural masterpiece and its Olmsted-designed fifty acres. The goal is to ensure that Yerkes Observatory remains a site for global research and local education, a beacon for science, and a natural landscape of beauty.

GENEVA LAKE CONSERVANCY

Geneva Lake Conservancy, an accredited land trust,  has protected almost 3000 acres of high conservation value land in Walworth County and advocates for the ecological health of our lakes, rivers and watersheds.

Both Yerkes Future Foundation and Geneva Lake Conservancy are tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.