Ellsworth Rock Gardens: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Voyageurs National Park

Regions 3, 4, & 5 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

Inventory Unit Description: The formal name of this cultural landscape is “Ellsworth Rock Gardens.” Although the landscape is one defined site with multiple features located within its boundaries, this is how Jack Ellsworth, creator of the gardens, referred to the site. Ellsworth Rock Gardens is currently under consideration for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1998, the Minnesota SHPO reviewed the draft registration form and has provided comments. As of 2011, the nomination is still in the process of being completed. The registration form in its final version will sufficiently describe a broad range of cultural landscape features, as required for the Cultural Landscapes Inventory (CLI). The CLI will employ excerpted information from the current draft nomination where applicable, as well as information from the 2002 Cultural Landscapes Report (CLR), observations made from site visits conducted in July 2004 and 2006, documentation from previous efforts, and additional information from secondary sources as appropriate. Historically, the gardens had the appearance of being carved out of the forested wilderness. This boundary between the gardens and forest is one of the primary features of the site. The irregular shape of the rock outcropping inspired the gardens’ organic form, and influenced their overall spatial organization. The topography of the site creates a series of flat planes: the lake, stepping up to the mown lawn surrounded by grassy meadow, followed by the uneven, steeply sloped rock outcropping, leading to the level summit area. The open meadow at the base of the outcropping provided a sense of arrival for visitors arriving from Ellsworth’s dock on Kabetogama Lake, and provided a space for viewing the main features of the garden. The forest that surrounded the outcropping and the meadow established a distinct vertical edge. This forest “wall” functioned as a visual boundary and established a sense of enclosure to create an impression that the gardens had been carved out of nature. The inherent qualities of water, rock, and forest remain unchanged (National Register registration form 2006, pages 1-11). The property’s period of significance, 1944-1965, encompasses the time during which Mr. Ellsworth designed and built the gardens. The property remains a coherent expression of Ellsworth's vision and an intact representation of his efforts. Landscape characteristics integral to the integrity and character of this landscape include its spatial organization, land use, topography, circulation patterns, and views and vistas.

Ellsworth Rock Gardens: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Voyageurs National Park

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