Bellingrath Gardens and Home facts for kids
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Bellingrath Gardens and Home
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The Bellingrath Home
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road Theodore, Alabama |
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| Area | 65 acres (26 ha) |
| Built | 1925-1949 |
| Architectural style | 20th Century Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001609 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 19, 1982 |
Bellingrath Gardens and Home is a beautiful public garden and historic house. It covers about 65 acres. You can find it on the Fowl River near Mobile, Alabama, in the United States.
This amazing place was created by Walter and Bessie Bellingrath. Walter Bellingrath was one of the first people to bottle Coca-Cola in the southeastern U.S. He used his wealth to build this special garden and home. He and his wife, Bessie, lived in the house. Today, the house is a museum. The gardens first opened to visitors in 1932.
Exploring the Gardens
The Bellingrath Gardens property is huge, covering about 900 acres along the Fowl River. About 65 acres of this land are carefully tended gardens.
You can see many different plants here all year long. Some common ones include cabbage palmetto trees, live oaks, camellias, azaleas, roses, and chrysanthemums.
In winter, you might see colorful tulips, snapdragons, pansies, and daffodils. Spring brings over 250,000 azaleas, plus hydrangeas and Easter lilies.
During summer, the gardens show off more than 2,000 roses. You can also spot bright hibiscus and begonias. Fall is famous for its amazing display of over 8,000 chrysanthemums.
A Look at History
Walter Bellingrath bought the land for the gardens in 1917. At first, it was just a fishing camp. He was the president of the local Coca-Cola bottling plant. He wanted a place to relax and enjoy nature.
His wife, Bessie Mae Morse Bellingrath, started to create the gardens in 1927. She worked with an architect named George Bigelow Rogers. The main house was finished in 1935. It is very large, about 10,500 square feet.
The house has a unique history. Its bricks came from an old house in Mobile built in 1852. The ironwork was taken from the old Southern Hotel, also in Mobile. The house design mixes different styles. It has a grand staircase like an English country house. It also features French doors and a Mediterranean-style courtyard.
Walter and Bessie Bellingrath first opened their gardens to the public on April 7, 1932. After Walter Bellingrath passed away in 1955, the house became a museum in 1956. It still has all of its original furniture from Mrs. Bellingrath.
The Bellingraths did not have any children. After Bessie died in 1943, Walter spent the rest of his life working on the gardens. In 1950, he started the Bellingrath-Morse Foundation. This foundation helps several colleges and churches. It helps make sure the gardens can keep running.
Christmas Magic
Bellingrath Gardens celebrates Christmas with a huge light display. It is called "Magic Christmas in Lights." This amazing show started in 1995. It runs from the Friday after Thanksgiving until New Year's Eve.
The display features over 3 million lights. There are 1,000 special decorations. These are set up in 13 different themed scenes. They are spread all around the estate. In 2014, USA Today named it one of the "10 Best Public Light Displays in America."
Awards and Recognition
- In 2014, USA Today listed Bellingrath's "Magic Christmas in Lights" as one of the "10 Best Public Light Displays in America." It was voted sixth best by online readers.
See also
In Spanish: Casa y Jardines Bellingrath para niños
