If you’ve driven past Glensheen in the past six months you’ve no doubt noticed all of the construction work currently underway.
At just over one hundred years, the sewer line failed and since that had to be replaced, it made good, economic and logistical, sense to also replace the water line. The real challenge was how to replace these lines with the least disruption to the historic landscape of the site. While it certainly does not look like the goal of causing the least disruption to the property was achieved, it was, as the original water and sewer lines ran under the parterre gardens and the retaining walls along the tennis and bocce courts.
The trees which were removed for the installation of the new lines were not original to the estate and not a part of the master landscape plan. The trees which were recently removed were planted in the late 1960’s when the pastures were being allowed to grow out and the view of them from the service driveway was not as attractive as it had been in the past.
The second major construction project now underway is the restoration and adaptive reuse of the gardener’s cottage.
Through the benevolence of a twin cities philanthropist, who also lives in a Clarence Johnston designed mansion, the cottage is being readied for a bridal dressing room and, upstairs, offices for the event staff who coordinate all of the special events at the mansion. For many years, Glensheen has not had restroom facilities for the bride other than the public ones in the mansion. The restoration of the gardener’s cottage includes the installation of a barrier-free washroom as well as beautiful rooms for dressing and relaxation prior to the big event. These spaces, when not in use, will occasionally be open for public tours. Upon touring these spaces, you’ll be impressed with the comfortable and cheerfully bright living accommodations the gardener and his family enjoyed. It is no wonder the Wyness family lived on-site for nearly seventy years.
Much work has been and continues to be done on the restoration of the historical landscape as well as the buildings. The next time you visit the mansion, walk up the main entry drive to the wrought iron gates and turn-around and experience the view as you would if you were being liveried to the front door in 1910. The one view you will notice which has been magnificently restored is that of the stone arched bridge and Lake Superior beyond. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the island in the middle of Tischer Creek has also been restored to the 1910 configuration and condition. From the time Chester Congdon passed away in 1916 to 2015 the island was largely neglected. Through the 1930’s annuals and shrubs were still planted on the island, but as flooding occurred on the river and the banks were eroded, the island was compromised. With help from the Minnesota Historical Society, the island and many of the original, magnificent, woodland trails and bridges have been restored. Watch for special tours which will include traversing the paths, crossing bridges and stepping stones and taking in some of the most beautiful natural surroundings Duluth has to offer.
What’s next for Glensheen? If the bonding bill currently before the legislature and the Governor is passed, the kitchen entry will be rebuilt, the boathouse will be restored and the rooftop viewing area made ready for use and the garden walls around the formal garden will be restored. While all of this work, along with the phenomenal amount of work completed in the past two years, are difficult for our guests to navigate, they are essential to the proper preservation and restoration of the estate.