“A Garden is a Place of Healing for the Soul. It would seem as if from the growth of leaves, and flowers, and shrubs, there exhaled a silent dew, which brought comfort to the heart blistered by the paltry suns of life…”
-HARRIET BEECHER STOWE, “Revelations from Our Gardens Seat” in The Independent, August 9, 1855.
The Stowe Center for Literary Activism is transforming the unique 2.5 acre green space that surrounds the Stowe Center into a vital, dynamic urban green, accessible to all and augmented by paths, seating, gardens, and installations such as signs and sculptures that tell the story of the land and the people who lived—and live—here.
Harriet’s Backyard is visioned as a welcoming, inclusive, nature-focused, intellectually stimulating, fun space with features requested by community focus groups, including:
- A welcoming ambiance
- Accessible and inclusive design features
- Literary and social-justice themed experiences
- Opportunities to enjoy and commune with nature
- Space for community gatherings that feature arts, literary, and activism activities
This new identity for our historic landscape is potentially transformational as it shifts perceptions of our space from private to public. What could be seen as static space becomes dynamic, lived in, beautiful, and enticing to neighbors and also to tourists.
Plans include a meandering path, seating, and extended and bountiful gardens that grow to the level of a Botanical Park. We hope more people will choose the Stowe Center as a destination to visit our gardens, neighbors will use the paths for daily exercise, and friends will gather to sit and talk among the gardens and meditation spaces.
Our summer 2024 Lawn Party with the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association and the Mark Twain House and Museum saw more than 400 people gather in our backyard, spread blankets and sit together to eat and play. This was a glorious day.
Ultimately, we want this initiative to lay the groundwork for systems change—making our unique urban green a place “owned” and most importantly valued and cherished by all.
We invite you to show your support for green space and community by making a gift to the Stowe Center for Literary Activism in support of Harriet’s Backyard: From Private to Public. The Stowe Center’s mission is to inspire commitment to social justice and positive change—help us celebrate community by providing a flagship green that is fully accessible and welcoming to all.
