Washington University in St. Louis

decision to purchase a tract of land for a new campus was driven by the rapid growth of St. Louis and the decreasing availability of suitable locations. The land was acquired for $185,000 (equivalent to $6,474,000 in 2024) in with financing arranged through a loan and the sale of University stock, backed by private guarantees. The University then enlisted Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot to design the campus, beginning with two landscape plans in 1895 and marking the beginning of the architects' broader influence. In 1897, the university formally announced plans in its catalog to move the Undergraduate Department to a new site northwest of Forest Park. Olmsted's praise of the site led the board to agree to buy the land without conditions. Olmsted also recommended acquiring additional land along Skinker Boulevard, which was completed in 1899 with help from Robert Brookings, and advised that future construction emphasize aesthetics. Their proposals included holding an architectural competition and grouping buildings in …