History

Allen Centennial Gardens is centered around a stately Victorian gothic house nestled on the agricultural campus.  The house, known as the "Lake Dormer," the "Fred House," the "Agricultural Dean's Residence," and simply as "10 Babcock Drive," was one of the first buildings on the agricultural campus and served as home for the college's first four deans.  It remains a cherished landmark for generations of students, alumni and friends of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.  Each of the four deans, William A. Henry (1891-1907), Harry L. Russell (1907-1931), Christian L. Christensen (1931-1943) and Edwin B. Fred (1943-1945), played a major role in the development of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison.  Dean Fred continued to reside in the house after becoming president of the University.  

The historic dean's residence, circa 1900		Dean E. B. Fred

Even though the house is no longer used as the dean's residence, the building continues to carry the imprint of the deans' families who once called it home.  Today, the house serves as home for the offices of the Agricultural Research Stations.  In 1984, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  This provided overdue recognition of the building and its grounds and gave the residence its appropriate place among Wisconsin's historic resources.  Registration also saved it from certain demise as the campus grew and looked to expand classroom and research facilities.  The former outdoor classroom gardens were destroyed in 1979 to make room for the new Plant Sciences building addition.  In the early 1980s, plans evolved for the instructional garden to be relocated on the 2.5 acres surrounding the house.  Allen Centennial Gardens was dedicated in October 1989.  The development of the horticulture outdoor classroom was designed to complement the home and its existing plantings, including a larch tree (Larix decidua) planted in 1899 to commemorate the birth of the dean-in-residence's son.  

Construction scenes at the gardens over the years.  Click to show larger image.  

Early donations from student groups and anonymous gifts were available for the initial planning and design.  With a substantial gift from Mrs. Ethel Allen, the ground breaking was possible for construction to begin in the spring of 1985.  Mrs. Allen is the widow of eminent University of Wisconsin bacteriologist, Dr. Oscar Allen.  Professor Allen taught at the university from 1948 until his death in 1976.  The couple co-authored what is considered the "encyclopedia" of the role of legumes in nitrogen fixation.  Ethel Allen, a former member of the UW faculty, received a bachelor's degree in botany, a Masters in bacteriology and an honorary doctorate in science from the university.  A Madison resident, she was instrumental in providing support for the early phases of Garden construction and has continued a keen interest in the project.  Naming the Gardens after the Allens in 1989 coincided with the commemoration of the 100th year anniversary of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. 

Allen Centennial Gardens is constantly evolving.  Visitors assume that it is a much older garden than it actually is and marvel at how established and complete it looks after only slightly more than a decade.  The varied topography and exposures of the 90,000 square foot site allow for a great diversity of plantings and the "hardscapes" suggest a much older age.  The major emphasis in the Gardens is on herbaceous ornamental perennials but the site features many other plantings including annuals and woody plants.