When I think of Mansfield, I think about how that’s always where the snow hits on a winter drive to Columbus. Hearsay says it’s the highest point in Ohio, but that’s reserved for Campbell Hill in Bellefontaine — that tells you how little I know about Mansfield and Bellefontaine. After a recent excursion, I now think of it as the home of Kingwood Center Gardens, former home of industrialist Charles Kelley King.
We know all about mansions in Ohio, especially in Cleveland where Millionaire’s Row was occupied by a who’s who of industrialists, including Marcus Hanna, Samuel Mather, Amasa Stone and John D. Rockefeller. Mansions from the Country Place Era (1895-1930s) are part of many of our towns, including Massillon, where the Massillon Women’s Club occupies historic Five Oaks. When Clevelanders think about mansions open to the public, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, home of Frank A. Seiberling, usually comes to mind as well.
Kingwood Gardens is sort of like Stan Hywet — there’s a house and gardens — but also different. The gardens are not as manicured, and there’s not as much ornamentation. It’s not so much grand as it is a lovely country estate. Like Stan Hywet, there’s a greenhouse, but the peacocks are a big surprise. It takes hours to see all there is to see at Kingwood, and that’s before you even enter the historic mansion. At Stan Hywet, the mansion is more of an attraction.
When we met friends at Kingwood in mid-June, we walked through lush meadowland along trails that seemed to have no direction. It felt so natural that we gave into the feeling of wandering and just being. We saw many native early-blooming plants and tall grasses, wild flowery scenes of orange, purple, red and yellow layers, and flowering trees. Roses were in bloom, and herbs were beginning to emerge. The allé gave us a canopy of trees, the greenhouse showed off bromeliads and seasonal plants. The gardens also took us past cypress trees, a sunken garden and a pool. My favorite was the calming woodland gardens. I felt that like the Holden Arboretum, the gardens should be visited during every season.
Kingwood Hall was designed in the French Provincial style by Clarence Mack. In 1952, when Mr. King died, the home was used for administrative offices, a library, classes and events, but gradually it became a museum that displays family heirlooms and furniture. The third floor of the home, which features private quarters and bedrooms, opened in 2021 for scheduled guided tours.
We enjoyed the garden and gift shop where we purchased perennials and garden art for our own modest backyard. The Gateway Café operated by Buehler’s Fresh Foods served good food, but the wait was long on the day we visited — next time we’ll grab something and take it onto the patio.
Coming up are the Community Pumpkin Carving and the Great Pumpkin Glow. The pumpkin carving event takes place October 18 and 19 from noon-8pm and the Great Pumpkin Glow from 4-9pm from October 20-22 promise to bring you into the Halloween mood. And if you get there early enough, you’ll be able to see the fabulous gardens as well.
Unwind, relax and be restored in the beauty of this exquisite garden estate that once was the home of the innovative industrialist Charles King in Mansfield. The fall foliage won’t disappoint as you wind your way down to one of the highest, but not the highest, places in Ohio. Get there before the blowing snow on I-71 forces you off the highway.