TTOR10.Coll.1: Charles Eliot Scrapbook (1888-1901)

1. Charles Eliot Scrapbook
2. Loose Items, Folder 1
3. Loose Items, Folder 2

Bound scrapbook containing newspaper clippings, brochures, project reports, and other printed materials pertaining to land and historic preservation efforts in the United States and abroad. The scrapbook was assembled by Charles Eliot (1859-1897) in the years leading up to and after the formation of The Trustees of Reservations. The album also contains articles regarding the initial meetings of the organization. The scrapbook has been annotated by Eliot, including his note on the first page that reads, "Newspaper Scraps Concerning Trustees of Public Reservations and Metropolitan Parks Commission." Also included are loose items that were placed in the back of the scrapbook after Eliot's death.

Eliot, a Massachusetts landscape architect, was a defining figure in the land conservation movement. He was an active member of the Appalachian Mountain Club and used this involvement to organize support for his new idea: a statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the natural spaces in and around Boston for public use and enjoyment, much the same way the city's libraries and museums saved great works for their citizens. In 1891, The Trustees of Public Reservations was approved and established. Eliot's impact can be seen in the formation of similar organizations around the United States and other countries, and his vision is as relevant today as it was in the 1800s.

The Charles Eliot Scrapbook is the physical property of The Trustees of Reservations. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns.