Period Garden is a small park at the corner of Gorham and Pinckney Streets. It was once the front lawn of the Elisha W. Keyes House which was built in 1853-1854. By 1972, the lawn had been replaced by a parking lot, and the owner proposed building an apartment building on the land. A group of private citizens came together to purchase the land with the intent to create a park that was reminiscent of a garden the Keyes family might have kept. The land was acquired by the city in 1975 and was formally dedicated in 1977. The park is now a city-owned and volunteer-run oasis on the otherwise bustling Gorham St.
Historic Preservation Consultant Gary Tipler and Period Garden Park volunteer Taylor Blair join host Jade Iseri-Ramos to discuss the creation of the park, the volunteers who have kept it up over the years, and the future of the park.
Photos provided by Taylor Blair and Chali Pittman
Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate here