Laurie D. Cox
Encyclopedia
Laurie Davidson Cox was a leading American landscape architect
and hall of fame coach and contributor to the sport of lacrosse
. He was professor of Landscape Engineering at the New York State College of Forestry SUNY ESF at Syracuse University
, where he established the school's lacrosse program
, and later became the President of New England College
.
, Canada, Cox attended high school at Bellows Falls High School in Vermont
. Following high school he returned to Canada, attending Acadia University
where he would receive a degree in 1903. Cox then attended Harvard University
where he graduated magna cum laude in 1908 with a Landscape Architecture degree. While at Harvard, Cox played lacrosse, basketball and ice hockey. On September 7, 1910, Cox married Gretchen Smith.
and Griffith Park
,
and called for the creation of a city parkway that would "add to the health and happiness of its citizens." His plan was only partially implemented.
With funded from John D. Rockefeller
, in 1915, Cox performed the first census of trees in New York City
. In his report, A Street Tree System for New York City, Borough of Manhattan, Cox found that most street trees in Manhattan to be in poor condition. One of his recommendations was to plant 200 trees per square mile on the island.
Cox advocated for a new kind of park in the U.S. National Park system that balanced the desire for recreation and preservation. In 1934, Cox surveyed Vermont's Green Mountains
with the intent of creating a national park in the state. Cox's vision of the Green Mountain Parkway (later Green Mountain National Forest
) included moving parts of Vermont's Long Trail
to allow the trail and the park intersect. Cox's vision also included a concept of a "skyline" drive. Revolutionary at the time, Cox recognized the changing American culture and the automobile and included many "windshield" views throughout the 240 miles (386.2 km) park length.
In 1929, the Administration Building at Green Lakes State Park
was built according to plans by Cox, who was active in the design of several New York state parks.
. He served a Head of the Department from 1915 to 1947, during his entire tenure at Syracuse. After leaving Syracuse University, Cox served as President of New England College
in Henniker
, New Hampshire
from 1947–1950 and then again from 1952–1955.
He was also a Fellow of the American Institute of Parks and an executive and a life member of the Board of Directors of the National Conference on State Parks.
in the United States. His impact on the sport was dramatic, both locally in upstate New York, and nationally. Founding one of the most recognized collegiate programs in the country, Cox was dedicated to the integrity and growth of the game.
Known for his excellent stick handling as a player, Cox was able to play any position on the field. Once Cox was established as a professor at SUNY ESF, he recruited Forestry
students to start a lacrosse team at the school in the spring of 1916. Later that fall, the University recognized lacrosse as a "minor sport." Cox served as head coach of the Syracuse lacrosse team until 1932.
Cox thought of field lacrosse
as a gentleman's game that could rise to prominence among collegiate sports. His advocacy of the game lead some to refer to him as the "father of American lacrosse." The sport grew quickly in intercollegiate ranks shifting the game from a primarily Canadian game to one that garnered elite amateur status among affluent Americans. As a matter of principle and respect for the amateur tradition of the game, Cox accepted no salary for his coaching responsibilities. Cox viewed the introduction and spread of box lacrosse
with negativity. He abhorred the commercialism of the new version, and thought it was a "peculiar" hybrid sport. His insistence, and the respect he garnered from fellow coaches and contributors, kept the field game the prevalent version played in America.
In 1922, Cox organized an "All-American" team to travel to Europe to play against British teams. This trip was deemed successful, and a return trip in 1923 was schedule. Cox envisioned an informal international championship. He would go on to coach the American teams in International competitions in 1930, 1935, and 1937. Cox's "All-American" team consisted mostly of Syracuse players, earning Cox some criticism.
Cox, along with William C. Schmeisser and Charles Lattig, helped develop the uniform code of operation for college lacrosse and established early lacrosse athletic conferences. From 1922 to 1933, when the first lacrosse All American committee was established (which Cox would serve as Chairman), he would select the honorees and even designed and furnished the certificates to the players. Later, when he became president of the New England College, he would start a lacrosse program there and served as the head coach.
Cox was elected to the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in 1957. In 1966, the New England College elected Cox into the schools Athletic Hall of Fame.
Landscape architect
A landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes direction of a landscape, garden, or distinct space. The professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
and hall of fame coach and contributor to the sport of lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
. He was professor of Landscape Engineering at the New York State College of Forestry SUNY ESF at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, where he established the school's lacrosse program
Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse
The Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse team represents Syracuse University in NCAA Division I men's college lacrosse. The Orange have won 10 NCAA championship titles, and currently competes as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference men's lacrosse conference...
, and later became the President of New England College
New England College
New England College is a private four-year college in Henniker, New Hampshire, enrolling a total of approximately 1800 undergraduate and graduate students.-History:The school was created in 1946 for students attending college on the G.I...
.
Early life
Born in Londonderry, Nova ScotiaLondonderry, Nova Scotia
Londonderry is an unincorporated community located in Colchester County, Nova Scotia, Canada, formerly called Acadia Mines. A bustling iron ore mining and steel making town of some 5,000 in the late 19th century, the present population stands at around 200.-History:Londonderry saw the pouring of...
, Canada, Cox attended high school at Bellows Falls High School in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Following high school he returned to Canada, attending Acadia University
Acadia University
Acadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...
where he would receive a degree in 1903. Cox then attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
where he graduated magna cum laude in 1908 with a Landscape Architecture degree. While at Harvard, Cox played lacrosse, basketball and ice hockey. On September 7, 1910, Cox married Gretchen Smith.
Landscape architecture
Cox was one of the leading landscape architects in the United States. Following his studies at Harvard, Cox worked for four years with the Los Angeles Parks Department. While working there, he designed the exterior landscapes of both the Lincoln ParkLincoln Park (Los Angeles)
Lincoln Park in Los Angeles, California was originally created by the City of Los Angeles in 1881, from land donated by Griffith J. Griffith. It was one of Los Angeles' first parks. It was originally called East Los Angeles Park, then Eastlake Park in 1901...
and Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...
,
and called for the creation of a city parkway that would "add to the health and happiness of its citizens." His plan was only partially implemented.
With funded from John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
, in 1915, Cox performed the first census of trees in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In his report, A Street Tree System for New York City, Borough of Manhattan, Cox found that most street trees in Manhattan to be in poor condition. One of his recommendations was to plant 200 trees per square mile on the island.
Cox advocated for a new kind of park in the U.S. National Park system that balanced the desire for recreation and preservation. In 1934, Cox surveyed Vermont's Green Mountains
Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range extends approximately .-Peaks:The most notable mountains in the range include:*Mount Mansfield, , the highest point in Vermont*Killington Peak, *Mount Ellen,...
with the intent of creating a national park in the state. Cox's vision of the Green Mountain Parkway (later Green Mountain National Forest
Green Mountain National Forest
Green Mountain National Forest is a national forest located in Vermontwhich supports a variety of wildlife, including beaver, moose, black bear, and white tailed deer. It also supports an abundant variety of bird species. The forest has been referred to as the 'granite backbone' of the state...
) included moving parts of Vermont's Long Trail
Long Trail
The Long Trail is a hiking trail located in Vermont, running the length of the state. It is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States, constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club...
to allow the trail and the park intersect. Cox's vision also included a concept of a "skyline" drive. Revolutionary at the time, Cox recognized the changing American culture and the automobile and included many "windshield" views throughout the 240 miles (386.2 km) park length.
In 1929, the Administration Building at Green Lakes State Park
Green Lakes State Park
Green Lakes State Park is a New York State Park located east of Syracuse in the Town of Manlius. The park is strikingly scenic, and has a "masterpiece" golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones very early in his career. Green Lake itself is perhaps the most studied meromictic lake – one in...
was built according to plans by Cox, who was active in the design of several New York state parks.
Academic
In 1915, Cox was appointed an associate professor of Landscape Engineering at New York State College of Forestry SUNY ESF at Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. He served a Head of the Department from 1915 to 1947, during his entire tenure at Syracuse. After leaving Syracuse University, Cox served as President of New England College
New England College
New England College is a private four-year college in Henniker, New Hampshire, enrolling a total of approximately 1800 undergraduate and graduate students.-History:The school was created in 1946 for students attending college on the G.I...
in Henniker
Henniker, New Hampshire
Henniker is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 4,836. Henniker is home to New England College, Ames State Forest and Craney Hill State Forest....
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
from 1947–1950 and then again from 1952–1955.
He was also a Fellow of the American Institute of Parks and an executive and a life member of the Board of Directors of the National Conference on State Parks.
Lacrosse
Outside of academics and landscape architecture, Cox is recognized as one of the greatest contributors to the game of lacrosseLacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
in the United States. His impact on the sport was dramatic, both locally in upstate New York, and nationally. Founding one of the most recognized collegiate programs in the country, Cox was dedicated to the integrity and growth of the game.
Known for his excellent stick handling as a player, Cox was able to play any position on the field. Once Cox was established as a professor at SUNY ESF, he recruited Forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
students to start a lacrosse team at the school in the spring of 1916. Later that fall, the University recognized lacrosse as a "minor sport." Cox served as head coach of the Syracuse lacrosse team until 1932.
Cox thought of field lacrosse
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
as a gentleman's game that could rise to prominence among collegiate sports. His advocacy of the game lead some to refer to him as the "father of American lacrosse." The sport grew quickly in intercollegiate ranks shifting the game from a primarily Canadian game to one that garnered elite amateur status among affluent Americans. As a matter of principle and respect for the amateur tradition of the game, Cox accepted no salary for his coaching responsibilities. Cox viewed the introduction and spread of box lacrosse
Box lacrosse
Box lacrosse, also known as indoor lacrosse and sometimes shortened to boxla, LAX or simply box, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada, where it is the most popular version of the game played in contrast to the traditional field lacrosse game...
with negativity. He abhorred the commercialism of the new version, and thought it was a "peculiar" hybrid sport. His insistence, and the respect he garnered from fellow coaches and contributors, kept the field game the prevalent version played in America.
In 1922, Cox organized an "All-American" team to travel to Europe to play against British teams. This trip was deemed successful, and a return trip in 1923 was schedule. Cox envisioned an informal international championship. He would go on to coach the American teams in International competitions in 1930, 1935, and 1937. Cox's "All-American" team consisted mostly of Syracuse players, earning Cox some criticism.
Cox, along with William C. Schmeisser and Charles Lattig, helped develop the uniform code of operation for college lacrosse and established early lacrosse athletic conferences. From 1922 to 1933, when the first lacrosse All American committee was established (which Cox would serve as Chairman), he would select the honorees and even designed and furnished the certificates to the players. Later, when he became president of the New England College, he would start a lacrosse program there and served as the head coach.
Cox was elected to the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame in its inaugural class in 1957. In 1966, the New England College elected Cox into the schools Athletic Hall of Fame.