Humble Beginnings
The Sunken Gardens of Lincoln, at the southwest corner of 27th and D Streets, has been the pride and joy of citizens since its completion in 1931. This 1.5 acre lot was constructed over the winter of 1930-31, during the worst financial depression the United States ever experienced. This project was part of a program used by the City of Lincoln as an opportunity for unemployed men to earn money to support their families. The program helped families survive hard times, as very little money was available for employment in any line of work.

In the early 1900s, Antelope Park extended from Sheridan Boulevard to O street, following the meandering path of the Antelope Creek. The construction of a new bridge over 27th street and Capital Parkway required straightening and relocating the stream several hundred feet to the north through D Street. Completion of the bridge left a large depression in the middle of the lot with a sheer bank on all sides, preventing development. As a result, for many years the area was used primarily during the winter by the neighboring children for sledding.

Incorporating the corner of 27th and D streets into an active part of the parks system had been a desire for many years. The piece of land that makes up the base of the Sunken Gardens was donated by Mr. Henry H. and Mrs. Sarah H. Frey in 1906. During this time, several lots in this area were donated to the Parks Department, adding to the linear nature of the park along Antelope Creek. In the fall of 1930, J.C. Seacrest donated two adjacent lots on the west side of the block to the Parks Department. The addition of these lots to the site provided the opportunity to create a garden of beauty for Lincoln's residents.

E.M. Bair, city commisioner and park head, was the driving force behind the acquisition of this parcel of land and its development. Many newspaper articles credit Commissioner Bair for being one of the main government officials responsible for much of the development in the Parks Department. He stated in a newspaper interview, in reference to the corner of 27th and Capital Parkway, "I expect to make this spot the most beautiful place in the city, either in or out of the parks. The ground lends itself perfectly to the making of a sunken garden, and at the same time a spot rich in beauty, at a small expense."

His term as commissioner ran during the years of the Great Depression. During this time, Bair created several different city improvements projects, of which he was able to assign temporary jobs to more than 200 unemployed men. This government sponsored program was put into effect to benefit the city and those in need Crew members were able to work an eight-hour shift at the rate of 40 cents per hour, twice per week, earning $6.40 per week. These temporary crews were sent out to work in many different areas of the parks to perform tasks ranging from tree trimming to construction projects. It was from this work force that at least 15 men were added to existing parks staff to help construct the Sunken Gardens.

In the beginning, the Sunken Gardens was referred to as Lincoln's "Rock Garden" to reflect its design. During the 1930s, in the United States, building rock gardens in progressive communities such as Lincoln was very popular. These gardens, including the Sunken Gardens, used rocks to form the garden's skeleton and contained rocks structures, such as water fountains or memorials. Rock retaining walls at different heights created terraced levels in the garden. Each level could be filled with different types of ground hugging sedum, a succulent perennial. Rock gardens were often located along and designed to mimick natural ravines using winding patterns and irregular widths. These design elements can still be seen in the rock walls of the Sunken Gardens.

Construction of the garden began with the removal of the old disfigured trees on the site. Then several truckloads of rock were brought to the site to lay out the rock walls. The rock used in the walls of the garden was harvested entirely from Lancaster County, of which Lincoln is the county seat. The cost of hauling the rock and the labor to install it were the only expenses for building the walls. The lower retaining walls were constructed of white limestone, while the reddish-colored rocks, which were collected from land south of where the Nebraska State Penitentiary currently stands, provided the main color scheme for the walls.

Semicircular flower beds were used to decorate the slopes along the north and east banks of the garden next to 27th and D streets. These beds were designed to accentuate the bright hues of the plantings on the bottom of the garden, contrasted by white gravel paths that wandered throughout the garden.

Three cement-lined pools were built in the bottom of the garden to create peaceful sights and sounds of water. The southern-most pool was used exclusively for a water lily display and contained several species of tropical and hardy water lilies. Henry Goebel reported that the majority of the lilies had ben purchased from the Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, Missouri.

The garden's main water display was the four-level waterfall, which flowed down the southern terraces. Water was pumped approximately 20 feet to the top and then trickled down four large steps into a pool stocked with colorful fish.

The central pool under the falls contained the "Geyser Fountaion", which appeared as a small pile of rocks. This fountain was designed to operate like a natural geyser and was reported to be able to shoot a stream of water 20 feet into the air. The power for the fountain and the water fall was suppled by a pump beneath the pool, which was designed by two Omaha engineers. It was believed that these pumps were the first of their kind to be installed anywhere in the United States. The larger fountain in the north pool was unique because it was designed to produce a thin sheet of water that would rise above 15 feet high and then fall back into the basin as a fine mist every 15 minutes. At night, it was planned to project colored glass slides onto the sheet of water using "magic" lantern pictures, making it possible to view the photos from both sides. Unfortunately, this fountain never delivered the type of display it was supposed to, was eventually abandoned and was filled with water lilies.

By July of 1931, the garden was in full bloom and was attracting visitors from all over Nebraska and neighboring states. A total of 416 trees and shrubs were planted in the garden with the final construction cost totaling $2,500. The largest expense was the cost of moving and installing the rocks. Plant material for the garden was supplied by the city's greenhouse and nursery and the clay tiles were donated from the old roof of the Federal Building and Post Office. A newspaper article in 1931 noted that the gardens were so beautiful during their first year that the surrounding states sent representatives to Lincoln to record the names of the plants and to sketch design patterns. The Lincoln State Journal and the Norfolk Newspaper reported that the view of the brightly colored flowers reflecting off of the surface of the pools was one of the most beautiful sights in the whole garden.

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