Garrard Ardeneum, 501 North Fifth Street, McAlester

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-23. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Garrard Ardeneum, opened in by Allece Locke Garrard, in McAlester, Oklahoma, is home to a local history museum that is surrounded naturalistic ally styled gardens. Today the Ardeneum is owned and operated by the Ardeneum of Oklahoma Charitable and Educational Foundation and serves as an important cultural and historical resource for the citizens of McAlester. History: Originally granted to the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations in the treaties of Doaks Stand and Dancing Rabbit Creek the land where the Ardeneum is located was later the site of a limestone quarry that served as a source of building material for numerous structures in McAlester at the turn of the Century, including buildings in the downtown area and McAlester's first high school.

Around the private residential structure that currently houses the Ardeneum museum was built, and in under the ownership of Mattie O Webster, it was expanded and remodeled into its current style as a Swiss chalet. In addition, it was during this time that Webster started the development of the current gardens. The property exchanged ownership a number of times before it was deeded to Allece Locke Garrard in In after minor renovations to the structures and grounds on the property, the Garrard Ardeneum opened to the public with the intent to provide a source for Oklahoma history and a place of serenity for the citizens of McAlester and Oklahoma.

Garrard created the word "ardeneum" as a combination of the words that characterized the intended use of the property: arboretum, garden, and museum. Since Garrard's death in the three-acre, hillside property has been owned and operated by the Ardeneum of Oklahoma Charitable and Educational Foundation ("The Foundation"). The museum contains collections of art, sculptures, china, period furnishings, and a library with extensive archives. In addition to the main museum building, there is a small house known as the Oklahoma Cottage, along with a garage. The grounds contain a variety of individual gardens of native trees, shrubs, flowers, and rocks. Walkways made from on-site limestone meander throughout the property.

At various points, there are several vistas overlooking sections of the gardens. GARRARD ARDENEUM HALS NO. OK-23 PAGE 2 From the site's establishment as a private residence with surrounding gardens to the time it opened to the public under Garrard's ownership, there had never been an official design plan. After the Foundation acquired the property, local gardener June Boyd along with Master Gardener Mickey Cogburn, oversaw improvements and enhancements to the site. In Leider & Associates, Inc. of Stillwater, Oklahoma was retained to prepare a master plan for the restoration of the property.

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-23. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Garrard, Allece Locke. Untitled and undated written history of the property at 501 N. 5th Street. Loftis, Carrie Jane. Personal interview conducted by Francine L. Bray on Sunday, 25 April Master Plan, Leider & Associates, Inc. "McAlester One of First To Found Public Schools." Kiamichi Magazine, Sunday, October 8, "Outstanding Beauty Surrounds Home on Hillside." McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, Oklahoma. Monday, October 6, Plat of Survey, Key Brothers and Associates Consulting Engineers, McAlester, Oklahoma, 28 May Property Records, Pioneer Abstract Company, McAlester Oklahoma. Abstracts & Records, Pittsburg County Court House, McAlester, Oklahoma. Shirk, George H Oklahoma Place Names Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged.

University of Oklahoma Press, Publishing Division of the University, Norman, OK. Warranty Deed. Frank Garrard Edwards (aka Frank G. Edwards) and Clono Edwards (aka Clono Bell Edwards and Clono B Edwards), husband and wife, Grantors to Allece Locke Garrard, Grantee. 30 May

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-23. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Steve Eilers, April 26, West Stillwater, OK steve. eilers (alokstate.edu GARRARD ARDENEUM HALS NO. OK-23 PAGE 3 Dr. Charles Leider Professor and Director of the Landscape Architecture Program Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department 360 AG Hall Stillwater, OK Office: charles.leiderfalokstate.edu sag? .. ^/ ife'^.'.v .' " * *: : . fa JijMw- f Ji : %*i; "V" . * "; JHfc13v!""-"1,UB*" ' ; ' ' * ' J Iftfif jIMpr^ ' *': . . . T " Is:-1 "iJiJE sjEy. j* . ^"rWKta viur . S .. .- Jill' w^Si*- Garard Ardeneum Swiss Chalet with "historic" red tulips (Charles Leider, Spring GARRARD ARDENEUM HALS NO. OK-23 PAGE 4 W?.."-:as ;s\ t .. '". I X. * .?*v.v*"I JOHJfflp^jSgj Rock Stairway to Ardeneum Rock Gardens: This stairway leads up into the extended rock gardens.

It has been the backdrop for many McAlester wedding pictures. Garrard traditionally had all visitors' pictures taken, standing on the third step from the bottom (Steve Eilers,