Mahoning Valley Forum

Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley => North Side Youngstown => Topic started by: ForumManager on April 24, 2006, 09:04:00 PM

Title: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: ForumManager on April 24, 2006, 09:04:00 PM
My husband I went to a One Act play at Bliss Hall tonight and decided to walk over to the Wick Pollack.   I told him I had heard of a garden area behind the building.  As we approached the area, which is not behind it but next to it, you couldn't tell it was there save for an overgrown walkway.  There are steps leading down  to it next to the carriage house.  Does anyone know if YSU has plans to restore it?  It looks like someone did some planting recently but it needs much more.  The fountains look restorable.  It is really a lovely secret garden.
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: AllanY2525 on May 01, 2006, 06:30:18 AM
Here is an old map of the Porter Pollock estate, before the existence of the
Wick Pollock Inn addition attached to the old mansion.
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: ForumManager on May 02, 2006, 08:56:11 AM
That's neat.  Thank you for posting it. There is one stone arch that says 1930 but the garden seems older.   When we walked over, my husband kept asking if I was sure there was something there ... it is hidden by overgrowth. 
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: AllanY2525 on May 04, 2006, 07:18:12 AM
I found the map and some photos of the caretaker's house that was demolished
to make way for the Wick Pollock Inn building by searching the Library of
Congress web site.

The Department of the Interior does a survey of historic buildings every several
years and they photo-documented the site before the old caretaker's house
was demolished.

I put the photos on my website, in the historic homes section.

www.youngstownphotos.orgfree.com

Too bad they didn't photograph the inside of the actual mansion!

Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: AllanY2525 on May 04, 2006, 08:02:16 PM
Here's an aerial view of the Porter Pollock estate, taken in 2004
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: ForumManager on May 09, 2006, 11:39:25 PM
cool!
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: ForumManager on May 24, 2006, 08:49:52 PM
Pictures of the garden
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: ForumManager on May 24, 2006, 08:52:01 PM
more
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: ForumManager on May 24, 2006, 08:53:35 PM
more and 2 showing the overgrown entrance ...you'd never know it is there.
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: AllanY2525 on May 24, 2006, 10:21:18 PM
What a coincidence!  I took a trip to the WIck Pollock Inn this afternoon and
photographed the hidden garden also - I have about 22 jpeg files at a
resolution of 1600 x 1200.  I just posted them on my web site:

www.youngstownphotos.orgfree.com/historic homes/porter pollock estate/secret garden

It's a shame to see the garden so badly overgrown - maybe YSU could send some
students from their archeology department to unearth the place(?)


Allan
:)
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: AllanY2525 on May 24, 2006, 10:27:34 PM
Here are a couple of photos of the stone gateway.  The initials M. W. P.
stand for Mary Wick Pollock, I think.  The mansion was a wedding gift to her
and Porter Pollock from the Wick family, if I recall correctly.  I read something
about the mansion in my copy of "History of Youngstown and Mahoning
County" (Gen. Thos. W. Sanderson c1907)
Title: Re: Wick Pollack Secret Garden
Post by: ForumManager on May 25, 2006, 10:01:54 PM
The links says your site is  temporarily unavailable.