Buddah
In 1936, a year after Jungle Gardens opened to the public, two of McIlhenny's friends, Robert M. Youngs and Ernest B. Tracy of New York City, presented him with a magnificent Buddha statue that they hoped would find an ideal home among his Asian flora.
Youngs and Tracy found the statue in a Manhattan warehouse, where it apparently had been stored for some time. Where the statue came from and how it got there is unclear, but oral tradition holds that it was made by twelfth- century emperor and artist Hui-tsung and sent to the U.S. by a rebel Chinese general later caught and executed. Regardless, when the Buddha finally arrived on Avery Island, McIlhenny wrote to Youngs and Tracy, saying he knew right where he would place the statue.
Mcllhenny set about building a garden for the Buddha. He dug a lagoon and beside it erected a rocky mound topped by a small temple designed in a bamboo motif. Inside the temple he placed the statue on a lotus blossom pedestal made of wood and copper. He landscaped the area using many rare and beautiful Asian plants. Mcllhenny surrounded the mound with Chinese juniper and bamboos. To complement the temple, he constructed seven hills, each about ten feet in height, and planted in a distinct color of Chinese azalea. Finally, he built an arched stone bridge over the lagoon and lined
its banks with Chinese iris, creating a placid reflecting pool. Enclosed in such a charming environment, the Buddha quickly became a focal point for Jungle Gardens' visitors. (Marker Number 8.)Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Parks & Recreational Areas.
Location. 29° 54.483′ N, 91° 54.968′ W. Marker is on Avery Island, Louisiana, in Iberia Parish. Marker is on Jungle Garden Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Avery Island LA 70513, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. This Buddah (within shouting distance of this marker); Boat House (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Cleveland Oak (about 700 feet away); Sunken Gardens (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bird City (approx. ¼ mile away); McIlhenny (approx. ¼ mile away); Bamboo (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bayou Petite Anse (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Avery Island.
More about this marker. Stop Number 8 on the Jungle Garden tour.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 5, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2018, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 374 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 15, 2018.