The next stop on our New England road trip was Manchester, Connecticut, and the beautiful Wickham Park. We chose this particular park because one of Russ’s cousins was a long-term manager of it, and it has connections to Russ’s family. Although Russ’s cousin Jeff is retired, he still works at the park “part-time” as director emeritus. That’s in quotation marks because, although his official position is part-time, we suspect he spends much more time at the park!
Just off Interstate 84, the park is managed under a nonprofit, private foundation and was created in 1961. It contains 280 acres of gardens, fields, woodlands, ponds, and sports facilities. People can even get married there in one of two stunning venues, including a log cabin. The entry fee is very reasonable ($7).
The majority of the park was a gift from businessman and inventor Clarence Wickham. If you’ve ever used an envelope with a little plastic window in it for the address, you’ve used one of Clarence’s inventions.
We received a personal tour from Jeff and his wife. We didn’t have time to tour the entire park (which would take more than a day, anyway), so we only saw the Irish Garden, the Italian Shrine, the Lotus Garden, the Oriental Garden, the Scottish Garden, and the Nature Center.
The highlight of the trip was a tour of a new garden that’s not open yet to the public. It’s named for Jeff and Russ’s family. (I’m not going to divulge that name here, but if you go to the park, it will be obvious). It was conceived by Jeff and his wife, financed by the family and donors, and built with the help of park staff. It celebrates the relationship between art and the natural world, showcasing sculptures and other art forms, including topiaries sculpted from plants. It even sports an observation tower and labyrinth. Some bureaucratic matters are still being finalized, but as soon as the paperwork is complete, the art park will open to the public.
The place exudes peace. If we lived in the area, I’m sure it would be one of our favorite places to visit and hold family gatherings. As it is, we live over a thousand miles away. So, we’ll have to visit it in our memories.
Next up: Two historic Connecticut homes.
For previous posts about our trip, view:
Marie's Meanderings 
Wow! What a gorgeous place!
Agreed! It’s fun to know that such a place is connected to our family.
It looks peaceful indeed. Romantic setting for a wedding too.
Totally! If we had known about the park (and lived closer) when we got married 5+ years ago, we would have used it.
That looks like a beautiful park, certainly looks like it is loved by its users and “caretakers.”
It’s hard to imagine how much work has gone into this place!
The park looks like a charming getaway.
We certainly enjoyed our short time there. Wish it could have been longer.
Looks like a fabulous place to spend a day exploring. How fun to have a family connection!
The park is such a special place. I’m glad we had the chance to go there.
We’ve never been there but now it’s on the list!
I hope you’re able to travel there someday. It’s definitely worth a visit!
I must visit this serene setting! Thank you for sharing with us. Happy Thanksgiving!
The park is definitely worth a visit. Happy Thanksgiving in return!
Beautiful!