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Between 1886 and the early 1900s, they acquired 33 farms comprising about 4,000 acres, piecing together a large, contiguous estate called Shelburne Farms. This tract was thoughtfully selected for its scenic beauty: gently rolling hills, fertile fields, and panoramic views of the Adirondack Mountains and the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Thoughtful Planning and Expert Collaboration
Creating such a vast and ambitious estate required assembling a team of renowned professionals:
- Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., a leading landscape architect and designer of Central Park, was tasked with shaping the grounds. Olmsted envisioned a "farm-forest-park" that divided the land into functional yet aesthetically pleasing zones, including managed forests, picturesque farm fields, and scenic pathways.