Garden of Eden, Kansas

The Garden of Eden is a half-acre lot in a small Kansas town, transformed over the years with elaborate sculptures, towers, and furnishings, starting in the early 1900's by its owner, Samuel Perry Dinsmoor. The sculptural park, now owned by Garden of Eden, Inc., is part Populist political commentary of the day, part Freemason symbolism, and part Christian preaching. It is an early remaining American example of what are called visionary environments. The surrounding town of Lucas has developed into a major folk arts community, with the Grassroots Arts Center and several galleries, and is the home base for the “World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Version of the World’s Largest Things” traveling museum.