Beaumont -- Crenshaw Farm

Object Details

sova.aag.gca_ref13460
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb65e2138ba-916c-4f0d-b386-e75f830c282c
General
Located on 38.5 acres in southeast Texas, the Crenshaw Farm combines private living and public space for the benefit of the community. The property is divided by a road. A private home and garden is located on the north side of the road, and on the other side is 8.5 acres devoted to an organically sustainable garden and orchard, known as the Brooks Road Community Garden.
The 30 acre tract was virtually treeless rice farmland, which was purchased in 1999 . By 2002, a Tuscan-style home and extensive landscaping was completed. In 2004 the owners bought and transformed the grounds into the European-style farm setting that exists on the property today. The property's once treeless landscape is now a picturesque vista enhanced by red maple, live oak, pecan, Italian cypress, bald cypress, and sycamore trees. The owners had help from landscape architect Rosa Finsley, who encouraged them to install over 1,200 linear feet of English-style garden borders on both sides of a wooden fence along some edges of the property.
The 8.5 acres across the road is where the goal of repurposing the barren rice farmland continues. The garden on this tract of land is raised organically and people from the community are welcome to visit, work in the garden, and to take produce. All extra food gets donated to local soup kitchens. The 8.5 acres was purchased in 2010, and construction on a kitchen-barn began in 2013. Since 2014 a modern greenhouse, wood fencing, brick drives and walks, two ornamental antique barrels, storage buildings, a chicken coop, and bee hives have been added to this side of the property. Crenshaw Farms' greatest accomplishment has been replanting the depleted rice field.
Persons associated with the garden include: Randolph Lombardo (former owner, 1999-2004); Rosa Finsley (landscape architect, 2004).
Former owner
Lombardo, Randolph
Landscape architect
Finsley, Rosa
Collection Creator
Garden Club of America
Place
Crenshaw Farm (Beaumont, Texas).
United States of America -- Texas -- Jefferson -- Beaumont
Topic
Gardens -- Texas -- Beaumont
Former owner
Lombardo, Randolph
Landscape architect
Finsley, Rosa
See more items in
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Texas
Sponsor
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Custodial History
Magnolia Garden Club facilitated the submission of this garden's documentation.
Archival Repository
Archives of American Gardens
Identifier
AAG.GCA, File TX196
Type
Archival materials
Collection Citation
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Collection Rights
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Bibliography
This property is featured in "Viva Southeast Texas" Magazine, vol. 3 issue 4.
Scope and Contents
The folder includes worksheets, feature map, plant list, photocopied article about the property, and a printout from the property's website.
Collection Restrictions
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Related Materials
Crenshaw Farm related holdings consist of 1 folder (33 digital images)
AAG.GCA_ref13460
Large EAD
AAG.GCA
AAG
Record ID
ebl-1643208220039-1643210187201-0
Beaumont -- Crenshaw Farm
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