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Manitowoc, Wisconsin - The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of the Ruth St. John and John Dunham West House and Gardens in the National Register of Historic Places on February 17, 2023.

The Ruth St. John and John Dunham West House and Gardens has been listed for its association with Ruth St. John West. Although she did not have any academic knowledge of horticulture or gardening, she turned her house, “West of the Lake,” into the “largest and most elaborate privately owned garden in Wisconsin.” She was directly associated with creating multiple garden clubs in the region. As a widely known garden expert, she also traveled throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest for hundreds of engagements on lectures and demonstrations for gardening, horticulture, flower arranging, table setting and the home.

The Ruth St. John and John Dunham West House was constructed in 1934 and designed by the couple in the Streamline Moderne style. Over time, the property expanded, as did the spacious gardens in a well-manicured landscape. Today, the property is operated by the Ruth St. John and John Dunham West Foundation, Inc. that continues the West’s enthusiasm of horticulture.

Additional information for the Ruth St. John and John Dunham West House and Gardens is available at: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Property/HI245454

To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit: https://wisconsinhistory.org/hp/register/

About the Wisconsin Historical Society

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.