Garden of Eden…..for real

Submitted by weave1022 July 24th, 2011
Certifikitsch Winner

This is an Internationally know tourist site smack dab in the middle of Kansas.  Been there a couple times…..and am always amazed and freaked out at the same time.  I was reminded of it in today’s paper,

The quirky Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kan., has been sold to the Wisconsin-based Kohler Foundation, which plans a massive restoration.

The ownership change was announced Friday by Garden of Eden Inc. That group bought artist S.P. Dinsmoor’s 1906 concrete garden and limestone “log cabin” more than 20 years ago.

When the restoration is done, Kohler will transfer ownership to Friends of S.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden, based in Lucas.

The attraction draws tourists from around the world to the north-central Kansas town.

My photos could not do it justice, so please look here: http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com/index

3 Responses to “Garden of Eden…..for real”

  1. Allee Willis

    I can’t believe I never heard of this place. Then again, I’ve never been to Kansas. I do know the Wisconsin-based Kohler Foundation because Kohler is a big company out of Sheboygan Wisconsin that makes many of our toilets! I have a friend from Sheboygan and she always used to talk about that family.

    I absolutely love when places like this have been built by one person. Trapper John’s was an incredible motel that used to be in Burbank, CA. In the early 1900s, the old trapper carved statues of 53 of his family members and their pets. I used to go there and take photos with the statues all the time. The hotel was demolished to expand the Burbank airport and they were moved to Pierce College farther out in the Valley about 15 years ago. I’ve never gone to visit them there though. I just hope the family was kept intact.

    And can’t forget Watts Tower, built by Simon Rodia in LA over three decades. That’s still standing tall and attracting tourists daily.

  2. Douglas Wood

    I checked out the link Weave1022 provided and this place is really fascinating. So is the town of Lucas which is known for its outsider art. Makes me want to get in my car and drive to the midwest to check it out. I bet the yard sales in this quirky little town are to die for.