Gorman Healing Garden

Gorman Healing Garden. Al and Diane Gorman. , Stimulating and Inspiring - these words not only describe the garden but also Al and Diane Gorman, who are known for their dedication to our community. For over 16 years Al served as the Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Health Care System while Diane dedicated countless hours in various leadership roles within the Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital. In addition, the couple contributed to making a difference by serving as volunteers on boards and committees of numerous agencies and community organizations dedicated to the betterment of life for both adults and children while becoming a positive and effective influence for others. Their legacy , just as the garden's , will far outlive them., The ground upon which this garden lies is intended to be a place of peace and rejuvenation - as it has been for centuries. The Native Americans who traveled this way and camped nearby, the people who called this home, the nurses who resided and studied here, all are part of this garden. Historically, it has been a part of the Hayes Estate. Now it is a place for you. An orchard has graced the hill to the north. Some of the early fruit trees remain. New flowering crabapple trees have been planted below. The orchard dates to President Rutherford B. Hayes. May the hill retain its grace., The barn dates to the 1800s. Later, when Webb Hayes, the President's second son, owned the property, a valued horse and cow were stabled in the barn., Many of the trees that shade this site are a life touch of Ralph Billow, who was once Webb Hayes' chauffer and was superintendent of this parcel for decades., The fountain is fed by an artesian well that formerly flowed into the basement of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Director's home which stood here. The house was built on the foundation of what had been Memorial Hospital's Mary Miller Hayes School of Nursing in 1953., Take a breath. , Walk. , Rest. , Relax. , Restore.