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Friendship Botanic Gardens is a 106-acre nature preserve at the eastern edge of Michigan City, Indiana, just a mile from the beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan. Its intriguing history dates back 80 years to the time it was founded as International Friendship Gardens and Music Festivals. Some of its ethnic gardens are still in existence, plus towering trees planted by the original developers, spectacular displays of roses and lilies, notable sculpture, a newly established children's garden, and a Symphony Garden that features musical events ranging from light opera to pop rock. The gardens are open to the public during the blooming season (May through October) and for special seasonal events such as maple syrup tree-tapping (in February) and a Thanksgiving Day walk.
About the author
Barbara Stodola, local author and architectural historian, was contacted by board vice president Rima Binder to reconstitute the gardens' history, even though many documents have been lost to fire and floods. Stodola, a 30-year resident of Trail Creek, Indiana, and former art center director, interviewed dozens of people who shared their memories and historical photographs. A graduate of Marquette University and the University of Chicago, Stodola has published articles in numerous periodicals and has written four books, including Michigan City Beach Communities (2003) in Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series.
