The Mail-Journal, Volume 29, Number 29, Milford, Kosciusko County, 29 August 1990 — Page 9
Summer
Many remember the Chinese Gardens
I By JENNIFER WOODWARD Staff Writer Many local residents may remember the beautiful Chinese Gardens located on Kale Island in Syracuse. The gardens were a long standing landmark that attracted many visitors to the Wawasee area. W.E. Long, creator of the gardens, came to the Syracuse area in 1923. A Chicago businessman, Long headed the W.E. Long Company, a service firm for independent bakers. Long began the idea of wrapped bread for the average American housewife, and was also a pioneer with the concept of sliced commercial bread. Long’s involvement with the Syracuse community will never be forgotten. Long had been described by his peers as a “builder, financer, and Indiana’s most aggressive citizen.” Through his endeavors he was able to place Syracuse on the
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ALL THAT REMAINS — The Oriental Bridge is all that remains of the beautiful Chinese Gardens that were located on Kale Island. The overgrown islands and murky swampy waters is little resemblence of the Oriental charm that attracted many visitors to the Syracuse area. (Photo by Jennifer Woodward)
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map. Long promoted the idea of tourism to the lakes area in Northern Indiana, and declared Syracuse as “The Gateway to the North.” Long instilled the idea of planting magnolia trees throughout the town, the blooms would declare the start of the tourist season. His elaborate ideas began the creation of the Pickwick Block that housed one of the top movie theatres in the Midwest in 1937. The quarter of a million dollar project attracted many state dignitaries for a huge event celebrating the town of Syracuse. Long’s projects included many other futuristic ideas including a game preserve and Lakeside Park. It was during 1937 that Long decided to build his famous tea house. A connoisseur of Oriental art, Long housed his art collection worth $40,000 (a grand total for that period of time) at a Chicago apartment. The tea house was built so that the collection could be transferred to
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Syracuse. However, before the actual move, thieves broke into the apartment and stole much of the collection. Luckily, enough was left and salvaged to furnish the tea house. It has even been rumoured in local circles that the tea house was actually Japanese. Due to Long’s unique fancies many believed the house was moved from the 1935 World’s Fair in Chicago. However, many previous reports have stated the house was built from scratch and was designed from a photo depicting a Chinese houseboat. The tea house, the central point of the gardens, was held over water by two pilings. It was built between two small islands and encircled by 40-foot lagoons. The front door of the house was made of hand carved gold colored panels as were the French doors located on the east side of the building. Each panel told the story of Manchurian farmers fighting bandits. The panels were titled “The Tree of Life” and
were removed from an ancient Chinese shrine which was over 400 years old. The panels of the Chinese shrine formed an archway inside the building. The hand painted murals depicted the Chinese natives and various birds. Many art pieces decorated the inside of the building including a hand painted chandelier in the main room and an ornate Oriental hand carved chair. Not only was the house used as a museum of Oriental art it also served as a party house. Many business meetings and social gatherings were held within the Chinese walls. The house consisted of one main room, a small kitchenette, a bar, a built-in ice box, and a half-bath. To reach the tea house, one needed to cross the lagoon by a barge and pass through the wishing gate. The wishing gate was filled with superstition Many believed that if a person made a wish the first time thru it would most definitely come true. Upon passing the wishing gate, Welcomed guests would walk over the arched garden bridge. The gardens would not be com-
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plete had it not been for the beautiful flowers and trees that decorated the grounds surrounding the swampy ponds. In order to create the land part of the swamp area, Long used 1,500 loads of dirt and three and a half carloads of stone to fill in the area. A wide assortment of nature’s beauties included purple litrum, willow trees, birch trees, and Chinese gingho trees. A beautiful fountain, figurines, and a beautiful brightly colored bird house decorated in Chinese colors completed the Oriental setting. At one time, Long even had peacocks that roamed the gardens. However, due to the commotion they raised and the outrage of surrounding neighbors, the peacocks were soon dispersed. Long died on July 25, 1961, at the age of 88 years. The gardens complete with the tea house and art collection were sold to Edward Gallahue of Indianapolis. The Gallahues owned the beautiful sight for a couple of years but, then placed the landmark on the market. Charles and Jane Nearing of Muncie purchased the gardens soon afterward. With the blessing of the Nearings, the Gallahue’s decided to donate many of the Oriental possessions to the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis. The Nearings kept up the gardens for many years. However, due to their private nature vandals soon began exploiting the grounds. Jane soon discovered that the teenagers were smoking and drinking within the tea house and as she described it became “a regular party house.” This behaviour continued for many years until the house finally had to be razed. The house and gardens held a special memory for many of the lake residents who had grown up viewing the gardens. Jane explained, “I wanted to burn it down, but Joe Hughes (fire chief at the time) said he couldn’t light a match to it, and told me I needed to find someone else to do it.” She eventually found persons who were willing to take down many of the ornaments and Chinese designs, adding that she gave much of it away. Remnants of the old Chinese gardens can still be seen today. Many items are at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis, and one Wawasee Lake home owner even has the ancient Oriental panels decorating a front door. Passersby may even see the old decrepit remains of the arched bridge slowly sinking into the swampy, murky waters near Kale Island. And even an old willow tree still stands grieving the days of the past when the island was filled with elegant beauty for all to enjoy.
‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ closes season
By BILL SPURGEON Can a play written a halfcentury ago, a play that has been performed in perhaps every community theater and high school auditorium in the Englishspeaking world, still hold and delight an audience? If that play is “Arsenic and Old Lace" as staged last week by the Enchanted Hills Playhouse, the answer is a resounding “yes.”
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INSIDE THE TEA HOUSE — Charles Nearing, the last owner of eluding the hand painted chandelier and hand painted designs on the the gardens, is pictured inside the tea house during the late 19605. The wall. (Photo provided) picture shows the main room which held various Chinese artifacts in-
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THE BEAUTIFUL CHINESE GARDENS — The Chinese Gardens were created by W.E. Long. Long came to Syracuse from Chicago and was well known throughout Northern Indiana for his grand ideas.
Sadly, it was the final production for the summer of 1990 in the old Doswell barn east of Lake Wawasee, so it was only a oneweek stand. The final curtain fell Sunday evening, and by the time this review is published the performers will have scattered, some perhaps to return next spring. But what a production it was! A couple of generations have come along since the show about two murderous Brooklyn sisters was first produced on Broadway. And the movie which followed it, with Cary Grant playing the beleaguered Mortimer Brewster (their nephew), has been around for more than four decades. Well, Jerry O’Boyle of Enchanted Hills was every bit as hilarious as Cary Grant, as he paddled faster and faster mentally to keep ahead of his naive but conniving aunts Martha and Ab* bie — not to mention his unbalanced brother Jonathan. And flitting in and out of the Brewster living room was Teddy, convinced he is Teddy Roosevelt and happily digging the Panama Canal in the cellar of the timer wants to have Teddy committed, so when the aunts (Martha and Abbie) die, he won't have
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him on his own hands. And Mortimer also plans to marry Elaine Harper, daughter of the Episcopal rector next door. Elaine, not as aware of the Brewster family looniness as Mortimer is, is confounded when Mortimer seems to come under undue stress. Aspasia Alexander was fine as Elaine, who can’t quite keep up with all the things that are going Brewster homestead (which is located next to an Episcopal Church and its gloomy cemetery). Jerry O’Boyle is a highpowered actor, and he’s an innovative fellow as well: when a couch broke on opening night he handily ad-libbed around the problem, with fellow actor Kevin Long Then, in his next entrance he carried sufficient lumber on stage to prop the sofa up again so the action could proceed undisturbed And there were other high powered people in this cast; the thousand or so people who comprised last week's audiences were lucky folks. Take LaVerne Herzberg and Joann Rees, for example. Both are veterans of Elkhart Civic Theatre, where they first played
Wed., August 29,1990 — THE MAIL-JOURNAL
The beautiful gardens 'were -private but, many enjoyed the magnificent view of the Oriental beauty-that decorated Kale Island between 1937 and 1976. (Photoprovided)
the Brewster sisters some years ago. Their Enchanted Hills performances were both perky and polished, and the success of this show demands it; they are unique, talented resources brought to Wawasee by Enchanted Hills owner/producer Robert Decker, and theater here sparkles as a result. Brian Herriott was a most plausible Jonathan (if you can plausiby play a fellow who has plastic surgery about as often as most of us buy a new pair of shoes). Derek Phipps is a delightful Dr. Einstein — Herman, not Alfred — and he fit well in the role that Peter Lorre had in the 1940 s film. Teddy? Ken Baker was as good a Teddy as I have seen anywhere. The story is a simple one: Moron. And that includes dead men in the window seat (Teddy's convinced they’re yellow fever vic-
Classic car auction
runs Aug. 30-Sept. 4
Ferraris will dominate the auction entries during the special rare sports and muscle car section September 1 at the 20th annual Auburn '9O collector car auction. Running August 30 through September 4 at the Kruse International Auction Park, Auburn, Ferraris, pedal cars dating back to the 19305, and other antique and collectible cars will be auctioned off. Beginning at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, the Ferraris will cross the auction block. One such treasure will be one known as the world's most desirable modern Ferrari ever built, a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO with 4,800 miles, may reach bids in excess of $1 million. Older entries will include a 1961 250 GT Pinin Farina, a 1964 330 America, and a 1965 330 GT 2+2.
tims), cops who drop by for tea and cookies or to pick up toys for kids but who are unaware of strange goings-on or the arseniclaced bottled of wine on the living room sideboard. So an hilarious if quirky time is had by all. And goodness, did the audience share in this hilarity! More than once on opening night the people on stage had to pause to let the guffaws, chortles and chuckles die out. And when the final bows were taken, I’d have wagered that some members of the audience were as tuckered out (from laughing) as the energetic actors and actresses surely were. All in all, “Arsenic and Old Lace" was a dandy way to close a summer theater season. It’ll surely have those who enjoyed it thinking good thoughts about Enchanted Hills until the 1991 curtain goes up next June. And I'd bet they’ll be telling others, too.
Newer models will include a 1986 Testarossa, a 1987 Testarossa, and a 1989348 TB. The antique and collectible units will have an auction area devoted entirely to them during the Auburn '9O car show and auction. Collectibles will be auctioned Saturday. Aug. 31 through September 3, from 10 a m. to 5 p.m. daily. Those cars will include a 1930 s Vintage airplane. 1935 Auburn, 1939 Ford Fire Chief, 1946 Pontiac station wagon, and 1956 Chevrolet. Antiques will include clocks, historical music devices, bicycles, dishes, furniture, books, and hundreds of miscellaneous items. For additional information, call Kruse International at (219) 925-5600.
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