Theodore Wirth was a landscape designer and parks superintendent born in Switzerland in 1863. He held several horticulture jobs in Europe before moving to the United States in 1888. In 1906, he became Superintendent of Parks in Minneapolis where he designed the city's park system to incorporate natural spaces and ensure every resident had access to a park within a quarter mile. Under his leadership, the Minneapolis park system became renowned for its beauty and recreation offerings. Wirth retired in 1936 after transforming the city's parks, and two of his sons also went on to careers in parks and conservation.