Allen Centennial Gardens

Allen Centennial Gardens

The Allen Centennial Gardens is a free public garden on the grounds of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The grounds feature the Agricultural Dean's House, the home of the first four deans of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

The Queen Anne house overlooking the garden was designed for William Arnon Henry, the first dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture.
When he came to the university, he purchased a small frame farm house on campus in a section where the university farm workman lived. By the 1890s, other universities were attempting to lure Henry away from Wisconsin.

To placate him, the university offered Henry a salary increase, vacation time, an $8,000 appropriation for a house. Another $2,000 was later invested in the house, and when completed in 1896, Henry assumed all further expenses. It was designed by Allan D. Conover and Lew F. Porter.

Allen Centennial Garden is open year-round, dawn to dusk. Admission is FREE.

Location

620 Babcock Drive
Madison
Wisconsin
USA

Getting There

The Allen Centennial Gardens is located in Madison, Wisconsin. It is possible to reach the garden by public transportation. The best way to get to the gardens is by taking the Madison Metro Transit bus. The closest bus stop is located on the intersection of Babcock Drive and Linden Drive. From the bus stop, it is a short walk to the gardens. The route number for the bus that stops closest to the gardens is route number 80.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Wisconsin that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.