Oriental Gardens Historical Marker

When George W. Clark had an overflow of various plants, flowers, and shrubs from his botanical garden in 1925, he began to plant them on his property on an 18-acre bluff overlooking the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. Clark was president of the Clark Real Estate Company, president of the Panama Investment Company, and a developer of north Springfield and Panama Park who had financially benefitted from the rebuilding of the city after the Great Fire of 1901 burned most of it to the ground. By 1937, the garden had grown to such scale that, although it was on a private estate, Clark opened it to the public as a tourist attraction known as the Oriental Gardens. After Clark’s death in 1939, his son, George W. Clark, Jr. took over as president of the Panama Investment Company, and the company gained control of the garden.

Although under new management, the garden remained open for nearly two decades, serving as a major attraction for hundreds of visitors who came to see the various plants and decorations. The location was referred to as a “sunken garden,” with stone steps, or Hindu “ghats,” on both sides leading up the hill. There, were groves of “stately southern pines” and “live oaks.” It was estimated that the pines were at least 100 years old, whereas the oaks were anywhere between 500 and 1,000 years of age. Other palms came from various areas, including many Asian regions. The garden included camphor trees, bamboo, night-blooming jasmine, sisal hemp of Mexico, which was commonly used to make rope, Chinese rice-paper plants, and Moses’ bulrushes from Egypt. There was also a large citrus grove with selections such as orange trees, grapefruits, limes, and kumquats.

The garden also had many other aspects that made it a spot for concerts, picnics, and photographers. Hundreds of tropical and subtropical plants and flowers were separated by walkways and strips of lawn, with different sections being named after some of the flowers that bloomed in them. Some of those paths had Asian-inspired bridges that crossed over small lakes, streams, and cascades. There was a waterwheel, as well as fountains on the property, framed with Oriental arches and illuminated with stone lanterns. A summer house and other parts of the garden were surrounded by roses, pomegranates, sweet bays, banana trees and shrubs, azaleas, dogwoods, and more. There were torii, or gates to Shinto shrines, and seats for hourly music played by chimes.

The Oriental Gardens were so popular, they even appeared on postcards in Florida. In 1954, seven years after George W. Clark, Jr.’s death, the gardens were sold by his widow to the State Investment Company. Afterward, the property was divided into 33 family residencies. Along Oriental Gardens Road, however, there are still statues, gate posts, and original stairs to the river where the garden once stood. In 2013, a historical marker was erected near the site by the San Marco Preservation Society and the Florida Department of State.

1. Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker: Duval, Florida Department of State. Accessed September 29th 2020. http://apps.flheritage.com/markers/markers.cfm?county=duval.
2. Fillmon, Tim. Oriental Gardens, Historical Marker Database. August 1st 2017. Accessed September 29th 2020. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=93100.
3. Brochure: Florida's Oriental Gardens Jacksonville, Florida, University of North Florida. Accessed September 29th 2020. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1060&context=tourism.
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5. Gilmore, Tim. Craig Creek at River Oaks Park and Oriental Gardens, Jax Psycho Geo. June 8th 2018. Accessed September 29th 2020. https://jaxpsychogeo.com/south/craig-creek-at-river-oaks-park-and-oriental-gardens/.
6. Lost Tourist Attractions: Jax's Oriental Gardens, The Jaxson Magazine. December 3rd 2018. Accessed September 29th 2020. https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/lost-tourist-attractions-jaxs-oriental-gardens/.