{"id":1076,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-04-04 22:15:08","latitude":41.53703827825500383141843485645949840545654296875,"longitude":-81.62865936756134033203125,"title":"Rockefeller Park Greenhouse","subtitle":"Municipal Nursery and Botanical Garden","fullsize":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/ff65e75684b088775c7c081ec99ba269.jpg","address":"750 E 88th St, Cleveland, OH","zoom":15,"creator":["J. Mark Souther"],"description":"The Rockefeller Park Greenhouse has its origin in greenhouses given to the city by the estate of William J. Gordon, whose country seat became Gordon Park in 1894. Five years after John D. Rockefeller deeded land to connect Gordon Park with Wade Park in 1897, the municipal government planned a new “city greenhouses” complex, which opened in 1905. Sometimes erroneously referred to as the Gordon Park Greenhouse in its early years, the complex was actually in Rockefeller Park. <br /><br />The primary purpose of the city greenhouses was to supply trees and shrubs for Cleveland’s parks, boulevards, and public properties. The greenhouses also donated flowers to hospital wards. However, the idea of a botanical showcase for the city also took root. In 1913, the city completed a large new greenhouse to display palms, ferns, and orchids to the public, including the donated exotic plant collection of William E. Telling. This greenhouse also provided a place to keep the goldfish from the Public Square pond during the winter. <br /><br />Despite its pre–World War I origins, the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse as we know it is largely a product of the New Deal. Between 1937 and 1939, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) rebuilt the city greenhouses with a substantial new Palm House (now called the Tropical Showhouse) surrounded by six other greenhouses that raised the facility’s area under glass sixfold to 35,000 square feet. A center walk divided the Palm House into two lush sunken gardens lined with tufa rock salvaged from the Great Lakes Exposition. One of these gardens featured a waterfall and the other a statue. Looming overhead were six 30-foot-tall royal palms taken from the Florida exhibit at the Great Lakes Exposition, as well as other tropical trees and plants. <br /><br />After World War II, City Greenhouse, as it was then known, unveiled periodic improvements. In 1946, the greenhouse’s new cacti exhibit opened, its specimens backed by a painted desert scene in the fashion of a diorama. In addition to continuing to serve as a prominent destination for garden clubs and other groups, City Greenhouse also furnished tropical plants for special events, notably a New Orleans French Quarter–themed display for the 1956 Cleveland Home and Flower Show in Public Auditorium. <br /><br />In 1962, the Leonard C. Hanna Fund gave $300,000 to improve and expand City Greenhouse. The gift funded a new entrance building and a Japanese Garden, completed in 1964, at which time the facility began to be known as Rockefeller Park Greenhouse. Unfortunately, in the following decade the facility began to suffer a dwindling city budget that accompanied Cleveland’s steepening population decline. By 1980, the city briefly contemplated closing the greenhouse before deciding against it. Then, in 1991, the Friends of Greenhouse, a nonprofit, formed to raise funds to place the facility on a firmer footing and use it to host special events. Later additions included the Betty Ott Talking Garden with its statue of Helen Keller and the Willott Iris Garden, in which hundreds of varieties of iris bloom each spring and summer.<br /><br />Today the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse remains, as it has for more than a century, a place of welcome respite from the winter cold and arguably one of the city’s best free attractions in Cleveland.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"","lede":"Tucked away on a hilltop above the Cultural Gardens is an unassuming facility that for more than a century has played a mostly unseen role in supplying the Forest City’s parks, boulevards, and public properties with flowers, shrubs, and trees, while also cultivating a distinctive collection of tropical foliage and fruit-bearing trees.","website":"<a href=\"https://rockefellerparkgreenhouse.org\">rockefellerparkgreenhouse.org</a>","related_resources":["Bartell, Irma. “At the City Greenhouse, a Bit of Japan.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. May 15, 1966.","“City’s Greenhouse Ready for Inspection.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. January 3, 1913.","“City to Grow Nursery Stock.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. August 8, 1907.","“Flowers from City Greenhouses to Cheer Invalids.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. April 21, 1910.","Free, Henry. “City Invites You to Greenhouse.” <i>Cleveland Press</i>. August 10, 1939.","“Gordon Park’s Face-lifting in Final Stage.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. September 4, 1936.","“Greenhouse Group Plans Ohio-Wine Tasting Party.” <i>The Plain Dealer</i>. August 23, 1991.","Livingstone, Pearl. “New Orleans Scene Spices Garden Displays.” <i>Cleveland Press</i>. March 2, 1956.","“Moses Cleaveland as a Florist.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. July 5, 1908.","“New City Greenhouse Answers a Cleveland Need.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. April 23, 1939.","Quinn, Christopher. “City Looks to Spruce Up Greenhouse.” <i>The Plain Dealer</i>. February 15, 2000.","“Waiting for Summer.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer.</i> April 15, 1926.","Wilson, Helen Grant. “City Greenhouses Offer Treat to Beauty Lovers.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer.</i> April 14, 1946.","Wilson, Helen Grant. “City Greenhouses Repay Visitor with Glimpses of Native and Tropical Plants.” <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. November 14, 1943.","Wilson, Helen Grant. \"Little-Known Greenhouses of City Invite Visitors to See Colorful Easter Display.\" <i>Cleveland Plain Dealer</i>. April 6, 1941."],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/ff65e75684b088775c7c081ec99ba269.jpg":{"id":12963,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Tropical Showhouse","description":"Originally known as the Palm House, the Tropical Showhouse is the centerpiece of the modern Rockefeller Park Greenhouse that was constructed in the late 1930s with New Deal–funded labor. The Tropical Showroom&#039;s highlights include large specimens of palm, citrus, banana, papaya, and rubber trees, among others. | April 7, 2024 | J. Mark Souther","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/ff65e75684b088775c7c081ec99ba269.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/7c889d8d0361a3223d38bc9a71eb2920.jpg":{"id":12965,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"&quot;Moses Cleaveland as a Florist&quot;","description":"In its early years, the city&#039;s greenhouse complex was often referenced as being part of Gordon Park despite its location just to the south in Rockefeller Park. As this illustrated article notes, the greenhouses at the time held more than 55,000 plants grown from seeds or cuttings. The complex enabled the city to forego having to hire commercial florists to beautify parks and boulevards. The article also points to plans for a &quot;palm house&quot; and additional glasshouses, plans that later came to fruition. | Cleveland Plain Dealer | July 5, 1908","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/7c889d8d0361a3223d38bc9a71eb2920.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/24a7360c27776c38ff4f5ee8582d6e04.jpg":{"id":12964,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Greenhouse Rehabilitation Plan","description":"Support from the Works Progress Administration, an agency of the federal government started as part of the Roosevelt administration&#039;s New Deal, helped the City of Cleveland rebuild the City Greenhouse in its modern form. Sylvester W. Minke, city horticulturist from 1922 to 1957, headed the City Greenhouse at the inception of the current facilities. | <a href=\"https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4014coll24/id/1723/rec/8\">Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland Parks Collection</a> | 1938","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/24a7360c27776c38ff4f5ee8582d6e04.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/c0c4fc868b28f53b62802caeaedfa60c.jpg":{"id":12940,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"The Mall and Palm House","description":"This view of the Greenhouse, taken soon after its 1938 completion,  looks different today because a new lobby and classroom building was built in front of the facility in 1964. | <a href=\"https://clevelandmemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/general/id/7622/rec/3\">Cleveland Memory</a>, Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections at Cleveland State University | ca. 1940","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/c0c4fc868b28f53b62802caeaedfa60c.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/20793abb683810c2047a1d13dad21a09.jpg":{"id":12941,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Palm House Original Entrance","description":"<a href=\"https://clevelandmemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/general/id/7621/rec/4\">Cleveland Memory</a>, Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections at Cleveland State University | ca. 1940","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/20793abb683810c2047a1d13dad21a09.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/e97e8f541aa294b8e168810dbf3d635f.jpg":{"id":12942,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Reception Room at Greenhouse","description":"<a href=\"https://clevelandmemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/general/id/7619/rec/13\">Cleveland Memory</a>, Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections at Cleveland State University | September 25, 1939","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/e97e8f541aa294b8e168810dbf3d635f.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/633c843580bcbb4394f2e19f2cdf0694.jpg":{"id":12943,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Desert Garden","description":"Interior view of the desert garden in the greenhouse. | <a href=\"https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4014coll18/id/8376/rec/4\">Cleveland Public Library, Photograph Collection</a> | August 16, 1946 | Edward Dork","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/633c843580bcbb4394f2e19f2cdf0694.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/60758077d87df53a43407f7eec98666c.jpg":{"id":12944,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"New Entrance","description":"In 1964, the City Greenhouse added a new  lobby on the front (north) side of the main greenhouse. The project was among the improvements supported by a grant from the Leonard C. Hanna Fund. | Cleveland Press Collection, Michael Schwartz Library Special Collections at Cleveland State University | 1964","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/60758077d87df53a43407f7eec98666c.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/33044a2c58949faa2156b18c184881e0.jpg":{"id":12945,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Tony Formica Trims a Banana Tree","description":"Tony Formica served as the Horticulturist for the City of Cleveland at the City Greenhouse in the 1960s-80s. He retired to Fort Myers, Florida, where many of kinds of trees and plants he tended in the greenhouse grew effortlessly outdoors. | Cleveland Press | April 10, 1976","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/33044a2c58949faa2156b18c184881e0.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/5b4def18866e04da751ed185a37361d3.jpg":{"id":12948,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Modern Entrance to Greenhouse","description":"The wall to the left in this photo showcases gargoyles and other stone features salvaged from the Pennsylvania Railroad's <a href=\"https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/1020\">Euclid Avenue Station</a> when it was demolished in 1973. | December 26, 2025 | J. Mark Souther","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/5b4def18866e04da751ed185a37361d3.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/5eda914304d2ce7242403aac01a01cbf.jpg":{"id":12961,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Orange Tree in Tropical Showhouse","description":"This calamondin orange tree is among several large fruit-bearing citrus trees that tower overhead in the Tropical Showhouse, originally known as the Palm House.  | December 26, 2018 | J. Mark Souther","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/5eda914304d2ce7242403aac01a01cbf.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/a44f2ffcc0f1483582257990d7197c45.jpg":{"id":12962,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Cacti Showhouse","description":"A giant century plant dominates the collection of cacti and succulents that fill the Cacti Showhouse. Dedicated in 1946, this garden has a background painting of a desert scene. | J. Mark Souther | December 7, 2023","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/a44f2ffcc0f1483582257990d7197c45.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/126083e5e2999e4399795fe576e15783.jpg":{"id":12949,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Poinsettias in the Main Showhouse","description":"Every December, Rockefeller Park Greenhouse features hundreds of poinsettias of different varieties.  | December 26, 2025 | J. Mark Souther","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/126083e5e2999e4399795fe576e15783.jpg"},"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/fullsize/b0294a018f7a2db3fcffa34eb9c9dabb.jpg":{"id":12947,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Japanese Garden","description":"Made possible by the same 1964 Leonard C. Hanna Fund grant that supported other improvements to the City Greenhouse, the Japanese Garden is one of several outdoor gardens that visitors may enjoy. Others include the Betty Ott Talking Garden, Latin American Garden, Rose Garden, Peace Garden, All-America Selections Garden, Willott Iris Garden, and Vegetable Garden. | November 14, 2025 | J. Mark Souther","thumbnail":"https://www.clevelandhistorical.org/files/square_thumbnails/b0294a018f7a2db3fcffa34eb9c9dabb.jpg"}}}