Olmsted Society of Riverside

Stewards of the Land and Olmsted’s Plan: In 1868, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his partner, Calvert Vaux, were commissioned to plan a unique community just west of Chicago, Illinois. The result was Riverside, a beautiful community along the Des Plaines River, complete with curving lanes, abundant greenery, and gas street lights. One hundred years later, the Frederick Law Olmsted Society of Riverside was formed.

The Olmsted Society of Riverside’s Riverside Spooktacular: Phantoms of the Past ghost walks are back again and even more spooktacular than before. This year, history comes back to life with some ghosts from Riverside’s past. Join us for one of these special “spooky” walking tours—learn a bit about Riverside history with an extra helping of eerie occurrences, spooky stories and local lore. Tours will be held on October 18th and 25th at twilight. Tickets sold out last year so get yours here before they are gone!

Upcoming Events

10/18 – Tours Riverside Spooktacular Ghost Walks

10/25 – Tours Riverside Spooktacular Ghost Walks

11/8 – Landscape Workdays Workday: Longcommon

What's New

An unbeatable collaboration between Riverside Foods and the Olmsted Society of Riverside returned for another unforgettable afternoon. We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of Hop Stop 2025. More than a community beer festival, Hop Stop serves as an important fundraiser that supports lectures, community events, landscape workdays, and many other initiatives. The generosity of our attendees, donors, and sponsors made this year’s event not only memorable but also impactful. Thank you for helping us continue this tradition of community and stewardship. 🎉

🍴 Thank you to The Chew Chew for supporting Hop Stop 2025! Your generosity helps us keep this amazing Riverside beer fest rolling year after year. 🍻🌟 👉 www.thechewchew.com #hopstop #hopstop2025 #riversidefoods #riversideflos #riversideilcommunity #riversideillinois #riversideil #olmsted #beerfest #sponsors #riverside150

Get Involved

Stewardship

We would love to have you join us to help preserve Olmsted’s legacy through volunteer work days to maintain our public lands, participation on special projects, and advocacy and historical research.

Learn

Education

Riverside is a unique and special place to live and visit and there is so much amazing history. We sponsor educational programs related to landscape design, architectural history, the environment, community history through tours, presentations, a curated Olmsted Collection at the Riverside Public library and on-line how to guides and resources.

Support

Community Engagement

The organization is 100% volunteer driven and there are great opportunities to support the community and have fun at the same time. It could be making a donation to support the preservation of Riverside's unique landscape in recognition of a loved one or sampling amazing local beers and wines at our largest community event, Hopstop, For members, our quarterly newsletter highlights the impact of our work and engagement with the community.