The Devil in the White City By Erik Larson Character List and Analysis Frederick Law Olmsted (Burnham Plot)

Frederick Law Olmsted is a distinguished landscape architect whom Burnham and Root hire for the creation of the fair. Being well established in his profession and credited with his contributions to Central Park in New York, Olmsted is driven to work on the fair by a desire to validate his profession. The temperamental and melancholy Olmsted takes great pride in his work and contributes greatly to Burnham's success with the fair despite encountering several bouts of illness and depression and a heavy workload outside of the fair.