History and Background

A Brief Background

Jens Jensen (1860-1951), a Danish-American landscape architect, designed three notable landscape designs in Evanston. The first Shakespeare Garden in America was designed for the Garden Club of Evanston in 1917 on the grounds of Northwestern University and in 1937 the Wildflower Trail (also for the Garden Club of Evanston) on the grounds of the Grosse Point Lighthouse. His largest and most ambitious landscape in Evanston was the 4.7 acre landscape designed in 1927 for the Harley Clarke mansion, located at 2603 Sheridan Road.Here are links to some fascinating articles and documents which tell the history of the Jen Jensen gardens surrounding the Harley Clarke mansion.

Below are some links to learn more about the Jens Jensen and the Harley Clarke Mansion.

"The Harley Clarke House" by Kris Hartzell

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"Sigma Chi's Memorial Grand Chapter House - Fraternity Purchases Magnificent Suburban Mansion"

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"Harley Clarke Mansion Floor Plans"

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"The Jens Jensen Gardens at the Harley Clarke Mansion Now a Combination of Beauty and Neglect" by Mary Helt Gavin (Evanston Roundtable, August, 2019)

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"Jens Jensen: Natural Landscape Artist" from the Evanston Environmental Association, EEA Futures, Vol. 7, No. 2 (March, April, May 1986)

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"Land Use, Restoration, and Activity Management Plan for Lighthouse Landing" prepared for the City of Evanston, IL by Johnson Johnson & Roy/inc. and Metz Train Olson & Youngren, Inc. (1977)