From 1932-1939, H.G. Hartman built a 35’ x 140’ rock garden in Springfield, OH. It contains approximately 20,000 individual stones. Hartman started with a fish pond and then filled his yard with statues, miniature stone castles, cathedrals, and other historic buildings. There are models of the White House, tributes to boxer Joe Louis and the Dionne Quintuplets, as well as religious scenes. Since his death in 1944, the property was maintained by Ben Hartman, H.G.'s youngest son. However, Ben passed away in 2007 and in 2008, the property was put up for sale. In 2009, when these photos were taken, the Kohler Foundation had begun restoring the site. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
|
