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.! The lecture on George Kessler's landscape plans for South Bend was given by Professor Malcolm Cairns of Ball State University. For those of you who were not on the board at the time, Professor Cairns researched and wrote the National Register Nomination for Leeper Park. Professor Cairns first placed George Kessler's landscape design into historic context beginning with the work of Fredrick Law Olmstead and Jens Jensen. He then spoke about Kessler's other designs and projects before speaking on South Bend. Kessler's delivered a parks and boulevard system plan to the Parks Board in 1912 and was held on retainer at least until 1915. The lecture clarified several elements of George Kessler's landscape designs and made the following key points. 1. Landscape architecture was used as a planning tool for future civic development, which is often no longer the case. Landscape planning and architecture organized street layouts and provided green space in the plans. 2. Kessler focused on two types of thoroughfares: boulevards and parkways. • Boulevards were 100' wide tree lined streets for commercial and residential development. Ample room for trolleys and streetcars. • Parkways were more recreational, connected recreation and natural areas, such as Northside Boulevard, West North Shore, etc. The parkways focused on retaining and beautifying natural green space for public use — the river. 3. Along the boulevard and parkways system, parks were interspersed for the enjoyment of the city's residents and visitors. 4. Leeper Park was the jewel of the park system — Kessler organized it into active and passive recreational areas. 5. Kessler's designs were informed from his European education and travels to Berlin and Paris. They include many formal garden and City Beautiful elements such as: axis, geometrical but curving walkways and paths, neo- classical buildings and bridge designs. 6. They were also pragmatic and used existing parks and streets at times to organize the green space and the city. 7. Large body of written documentation of Kessler's work at the Missouri Historical Society, but much of his drawing, designs, and sketches have been lost. They were returned to the individual clients. Information on his designs for South Bend is incomplete because much of his plans and designs cannot be located. 8. The contribution of the German culture and ethnic group to American landscape design in general. JLS April 18, 2005 HPC Staff report