Sunken Gardens (Nebraska) facts for kids
The Sunken Gardens is a beautiful garden located in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was built a long time ago, during the winter of 1930-1931. This special garden is the only one in Nebraska that is listed in the National Geographic Guide to Public Gardens. This guide calls it one of the "300 Best Gardens to Visit in the United States and Canada." It's a truly unique and lovely place!
Garden History
How the Garden Started
Building the Sunken Gardens began in 1930. Ernest M. Bair led the project. It was a way to give jobs to people who were unemployed during the Great Depression. This was a time when many people did not have work.
The land where the garden now sits used to be a place where people dumped trash. Some important local families, the Frey, Faulkner, and Seacrest families, gave this land for the garden.
When it was first built, the garden had many rocks and stones. This was because "rock gardens" were very popular back then. So, the garden was first called the "Rock Garden." Rocks were used to make walls, waterfalls, and fountains. The project finished in 1931. The gardens opened with 416 trees and shrubs. They covered about one and a half acres of land.
Making the Garden New Again
The Sunken Gardens got a big makeover starting in 2003. The work was finished in 2005. The Lincoln Parks Foundation helped raise $1.7 million for this project. They called their fundraising effort "Polishing a Gem."
The Foundation also started special programs. These were called "One Flower Forever" and "Paving the Path." These programs let people give money to support the gardens. They could do this to honor friends, family, or special events.
The renovation added two new statues. A new building called the Rotary Pavilion was also built next to the restrooms. The original "Rebekah at the Well" statue was replaced. A new one by artist David Young now stands there. Another statue, "Reville," is in the Healing Garden. It shows Dr. Wayne Southwick's wife, Ann, getting their children ready for the day. The Rotary Pavilion has a special dome. Architect Jeffrey Chadwick designed it. The dome has laser-cut panels. These panels show the four seasons of Lincoln's skyline.
