Huntington Sunken Gardens

By Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology

Sometime between 1914-1920, the Keefer and Bailey Lime, Brick, Tile, and Cement Company abandoned their quarry in Huntington. The quarry became quite an eyesore until 1923 when the proposal was made to convert it into a sunken garden. The Chicago Landscape Company created a plan for the site that created a naturalistic and informal setting with plantings, footbridges, fountains, fieldstone staircases, and a horse shoe-shaped pool. The 1 1/2-acre multi-level site included limestone walls, three different entrances, and an automobile-related fieldstone bridge. Construction lasted from 1923 to 1929. In November 1929, Better Homes and Gardens magazine featured the Sunken Gardens.

Given its location on US 24, the Sunken Gardens were promoted as a tourist attraction and destination. The automobile was a significant factor in the creation and success of the Sunken Gardens.

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Map

1125 W Park Dr, Huntington, IN 46750

Cite this Page

Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, “Huntington Sunken Gardens,” Discover Indiana, accessed April 18, 2024, https://publichistory.iupui.edu/items/show/205.

Subjects

Published on Dec 21, 2017. Last updated on Apr 2, 2019.