In Lockport, New York
At
William Rand Kenan Jr. Pages The Lockport Home Page The Lockport Tourism Pages
You're
about to read of a beautiful secret...
Since restoration work on the mansion and estate of the late Lockportian William Rand Kenan Jr. has
progressed, thousands have been toured through his Italian villa-style mansion at
433 Locust Street.
They've attended art exhibits and private parties. And they've toured the house
beautifully appointed in the styles Mr. & Mrs. Kenan were accustomed to during the
home's designation as Lockport Show House in 1985 and again in 1996.
Many more thousands have attended events at the Kenan Arena "way out
back" where Mr. Kenan once had a small farm and allowed the family cow, Daisy, to
graze. Countless thousands in recent years have played on those
once-farm lands enjoying outdoor sports such as soccer.
But---are you ready for this? Only hundreds have seen what you're about to see now. The Kenan Gardens. Beginning immediately adjacent to the home on southeast side and extending east. In Mr. Kenan's day this was a favorite area to walk and talk with visitors in summer months during his years as a nationally known financial and railroad tycoon...and to walk alone and contemplate in his senior years.
From the magnificent south porch of the main house, one walks down immediately into the western limits of the Kenan formal gardens. From here a number of walkways route the visitors through short tree-lined trails, under white trellises, by the greenhouse, and into an alcove of nature for rest and contemplation. Further east is the noteworthy herb garden with over one hundred varies growing and identified. It was east of the herb garden that an orchard and grove of nut trees established the beginnings of the Kenan city farm...and the western limits of Daisy the cow's grazing territory.
Looking West From The Herb Garden
Appearing Through An Opulent
Overgrowth Of Green Shade Providers,
The Back Of The Kenan Mansion Comes Into View
In the picture below note the "observatory" atop the mansion. From here Kenan could gaze out 360-degrees over all 25 acres of his city estate...from the east lawn extending to Locust Street all the way west to where the property ends on Beattie Avenue.
For Those With The Time, The Kenan
Gardens Have The Space...
For Contemplation, Long Talks, Short Rests, And Day-Long Dreaming
Words From Will Kenan
For Your Contemplation
"If all men could know that death is only an
incident, and that life is to continue for good or ill right on, and if they could know
that under the working of the law of cause and effect they are making that future life day
by day; that its condition is to be determined thus, and not by creed or belief or ritual
or worship as such, but by character,is it not plain that this would become the mightiest
of all possible motives.
If it can be attained, here is a power able to lift and transform the world."
The Kenan Gardens are open in the warm weather months according to about the same schedule as that publicized for the Kenan Center. There is no admission charge. Find your way to the gardens by routing west around the main public entrance to the mansion at 433 Locust Street. If you have difficulty ask inside the mansion. Tours are normally not provided so bring your Peterson Field Guide of Trees and Shrubs. The Peterson Field Guide for Birds (Eastern) will be useful, too, as this area is a refuge for birds from the city heat and noise.
Lockport's Only Locally Owned, Locally
Operated Media
A Service Site- - -Not A Selling Site
The
Lockport Home Page: www.Lockport-NY.com
THE PICTURE OF LOCKPORT