New archaeology at Shofuso unearths the garden from 1876

Japanese culture has flourished in Fairmount Park since Philadelphia hosted the 1876 Centennial Exposition, represented by a series of structures and gardens, many of which have disappeared.

Or have they?

This summer, an archaeological study at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden found evidence of the original Japanese bazaar and garden built in 1876 to introduce Victorian-era Americans to Japan’s ancient culture of serenity and simplicity. Using everything from old photos and spades to ground-penetrating radar, Shofuso staff and a specialized team from AECOM Burlington mapped the bazaar building and a nearby shed, determined where the original garden grew, and found artifacts from the centennial.

A five-year effort

Work began in late July on a heavily wooded plot about 30 feet beyond Shofuso’s current garden wall, close enough to hear the splash of the waterfall that gently stirs the traditional 17th-century home’s koi pond.

The centennial site was identified about five years ago by Kim Andrews, executive director of the Friends of the Japanese House and Garden. Working from old documents, she concluded that the remains of the 1876 garden and bazaar — if they could be found — would lie just behind Shofuso’s current garden, across a carriage path laid for the Centennial Exhibition. The area was hidden beneath a ten-foot-high tangle of uncontrolled weeds, plants, and large trees. Andrews made a case for exploring the site. She marshaled help to cut the overgrowth to a manageable level, persuaded the Shofuso board, and secured funding for the study from the William Penn Foundation.

The dig is led by Douglas Mooney, senior archaeologist with AECOM Burlington, an engineering firm that has conducted similar studies at other Philadelphia historic sites, such as Cliveden and Bartram’s Garden. Work, which continued for about a week, opened to the public on August 1, enabling visitors to view the site and talk with the team.

Structures located, objects found

Test holes were dug based on shadows in the radar-produced images that indicated old surface disturbances. Andrews, having spent considerable time building support for the project, held her breath. “I was prepared not to find anything,” she said. Still, she knew from her research that there had been paths, markers of various kinds, and garden ornaments on the original site, in addition to buildings and planting beds.

Results came quickly: Within a day and a half, several objects were found, including a curved roof tile, a bottle top, and fragments of blue-and-white pottery. “I’m thrilled,” Andrews said on July 30. “To have a physical connection to 1876 is beyond anything I could have expected.”

What’s next?

With the site back on the radar, the question becomes what to do with it. The long-range plan, Andrews explained, would be to create it as a visitor center for Shofuso, which currently lacks space for amenities. “We want to create a bigger presence,” she said, continuing to increase visitorship to Shofuso, which expects to welcome 30,000 guests this year.

Additionally, Andrews wants to establish a formal entry to the Centennial District on the original garden side of Shofuso, which is adjacent to, but now almost invisible and inaccessible from, the Mann Music Center.

“With our neighbor the Please Touch Museum,” Andrews said, “we could be a welcome center for the Centennial District,” reminding Philadelphians of the world-class event that took place in Fairmount Park in 1876, as the city hosted 38 nations across a 300-acre site to celebrate America’s 100th birthday.

For more information on Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, at Lansdowne and Horticultural Drives, Philadelphia, call 215-878-5097, email [email protected], or visit online.

At right: a curved roof tile was among the early finds, shown by Doug Mooney, AECOM senior archaeologist, who led the dig. Photo by Pamela J. Forsythe.