When the 2024 Summer Season opens on June 29, the revived Garth Newel stables—just below Herter Hall—will be open for viewing for the first time in decades. Audience members are invited to arrive early to walk through and enjoy the beautiful space. There will be a Wine Happy Hour on June 29 starting at 5:00 p.m., before the picnic at 6 p.m.
It’s been a long time coming. Former board member Lee Elliott recalls that there has been conversation about what to do with the building for at least 30 years. As time passed, the condition of the stables deteriorated.
Where others might have seen a wreck, the GNMC team saw possibility. Former executive director Shawn Puller invited interior designer Rebecca Larys, IIDA, to help imagine what the old stable could become. She saw a jewel of a building just waiting for a modest rehabilitation to bring back its luster, and recommended reconditioning rather than a complete repurposing. She offered to work pro bono and was soon joined by GNMC volunteers Lee Elliott and Elizabeth Dudley, who were equally passionate about the project.
“Garth Newel is special for a lot of reasons, and history is part of what makes it special,” Lee comments. “The more we preserve and celebrate it, the richer the experience. The stables are very unusual and remarkable.”
Built in the 1920s to exacting aesthetic standards to house the Kendalls’ prized Andalusian horses, the stables must have been completely state-of-the-art at the time. The special touches included windows in every stall, five-panel chestnut doors, and cork floors that were gentle on the horses’ hooves. But by last year, the structure was compromised by termite damage, and groundhogs had dug holes in the beautiful floors. Plus, it had been used for storage and become so filled with all kinds of things that it was difficult to move around in.
In a labor of love, Rebecca, Lee, Elizabeth, and GNMC staff have devoted countless hours to cleaning and rehabilitating the structure and revealing its original beauty. They have gathered furnishings that accent the space such as chandeliers, lanterns at each stall, horse blankets, placards with names of the original equine inhabitants, and more. Donations of period tack, saddles, and horse blankets are welcome.
In the future, the space could be used for art, educational, and historic displays, and possibly as a venue for small gatherings. However the project evolves, the Garth Newel property will be more welcoming and pleasing for all who visit.
