Kingwood Center

Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio is a 47 acre former estate garden open to the public since 1953.

Former estate-garden features 47 acres of landscaped gardens, greenhouses and hiking trails.

History

Built in 1926 for Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kelley King, the 47-acre estate opened as a public garden in 1953, one year after Mr. King's death. Mr. King, who was married and divorced twice, never had children. He left most of his estate to the private foundation that continues to operate Kingwood Center today. Mr. King made his fortune in Mansfield, Ohio working with the Ohio Brass Company. Hired as the company's first electrical engineer in 1893, he led Ohio Brass into new ventures, particularly the manufacture of electrical fittings for railroads and trolleys. Mr. King eventually became President and Chairman of the Board of Ohio Brass.

About The gardens

As Mr. and Mrs. King were having their house designed and built in 1926 they were also having their landscape designed and built as well under the direction of the Cleveland landscape architecture firm of Pitkin and Mott. Of particular note is the featured garden that is still extant and referred to today as the Formal Garden.

The gardens were built around the King's existing swimming pool. A couple of interesting features of the garden are that the pool could not be accessed without walking through an adjoining garden room and the turf of the swimming pool area was mint.

While many important features are missing now, over eighty years since its creation, the gardens retain considerable historical integrity.

Today the Formal Garden is used to display seasonal plantings of annuals and tulips. New designs are created annually, although the long term ambition is to restore the garden to its historical origins. Currently Kingwood lacks the resources for that project.

Explore Related Categories