District 11 Book Club Discussion on Jens Jensen and the Importance of City Parks and Wilderness Areas, 7:00 pm-8:15 pm on June 26th at the Sequoya Library

Image credit:

Bill Tishler

Hidden along the Southwest Commuter bike route lies Glenwood Children's Park, a former sandstone quarry that was active over 175 years ago. It is believed the oldest buildings on Bascom Hill were crafted from stone hewn from this quarry. By the 1920s, the quarry lay abandoned and overgrown, yet it drew the attention of the Madison Parks and Pleasure Drive Association, who saw it as an ideal park location. However, it wasn’t until the 1940s that efforts were made to turn this old quarry into a public park by the famous landscape architect Jens Jensen (1860-1951), celebrated for his naturalistic approach to design. In his 2012 book, “Jens Jensen: Writings Inspired by Nature,” my father, William H. Tishler, Emeritus Professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin wrote that, “Jens Jensen is considered one of America’s most distinguished landscape architects, known for his contributions to both the prairie style of landscape architecture and the land conservation movement.”

Jens Jensen came to Madison and spearheaded the design and oversight of the creation of the Glenwood Children's Park, which involved clearing away invasive plant species, planting indigenous flowering shrubs and trees, and constructing one of his distinctive "council rings," which has since inspired the installation of Council Rings all over Madison. The Glenwood Children's Park was completed in 1945 and later designated a City of Madison landmark on April 14, 1975.

Join me and my father on June 26th at the Sequoya Library from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm for another District 11 Book Club discussion to learn more about Jens Jensen and the importance of parks and wilderness areas in our city. We will be reading excerpts from Jens Jensen’s writings that were published in the Capital Times. Copies of these articles, spanning from 1940 to 1947, are available for you to pick up in person at the Sequoya Library. I am looking forward to seeing you on June 26th for a discussion about Madison Parks, conservation, and the legacy of Jens Jensen.