Lawns have a robust and intriguing history within the growth and development of the United States of America. The following timeline tracks the history of turfgrass in this country and serves as an interesting reflection of the industrial, homestead, and transportation changes that occurred alongside it.
1600s
As European colonists crossed over to settle in Jamestown and its surrounding areas, they brought non-native cattle to the region with them. These animals were accustomed to the grassy pastures of their origins, and quickly ran out of native grass to consume at their new home. Grass seed needed to be brought over and planted to solve this issue.
By the mid-17th-century a market for grass seed developed. Grass that was then referred to as “June grass” or “smooth meadow grass” was possibly spread by French missionaries into Illinois and America via the waterways of the Mississippi River. Today, we refer to this species of grass as “Kentucky Bluegrass.”
1700s
Cut grass lawns began to appear and grow in popularity among the upper classes in England and France. Famous landscape architect André Le Nôtre called them a tapis vert, or “green carpet.” By the 18th century, wealthy manor houses and estates showcased “romantic gardens,” which were characterized by shortly mowed grasses, meadows, water features, trees, and grazing animals.
With the frequent rain and moderate climate, turfgrasses grew easily in England and its surrounding areas. However, the difference in climate did not prevent American leaders such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson from applying the aesthetic to their own dwellings. The term “lawn,” however, did not become vernacular until post-Civil War.
1800s
American farmers recognized the advantages of cultivating grass for hay and began relying less on natural pastures during the 19th century. Yet, even as it became an agricultural crop for animal feed, grass lawns remained in the domain of the wealthy. A household required access to correct irrigation or moisture and the ability to hire help to maintain it: a privilege out of reach for most citizens.
In the later half of the 1800s town beautification projects and the “greening” of common spaces such as public gardens and parks started to be implemented. Then in 1868 Frederick Law Olmsted created the first “suburban” neighborhood plan for Riverside, IL, with houses set back 30 feet from the sidewalk to allow space for trees and grass lawns. In that same year the US Patent office issued its first three patents for lawn mowers. Just a few short years later, the first lawn-sprinkler patent was issued as city-supplied water and rubber hoses became prevalent in most major cities.
1900s
By the 1900s lawn mowers became a standard item in hardware stores and mail-order catalogs. The popularity of golf courses, country clubs, and outdoor lawn activities exploded with this availability. By only 1902 more than a thousand golf clubs had been organized.
Then, post World War II and the availability of affordable homeownership, the lawn industry boomed. Innovation closely followed demand, leading to easier and faster methods of taking care of grass.
2000s
As we head from the early 2000s to the present day in lawn care, we’ve taken a turn for balance. While grass is still used for aesthetic and practical purposes, innovation is utilized to maintain it in more and more sustainable ways, utilizing less resources while continuing to provide all the benefits we’ve come to know and love to come from lawns.
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