Page 20 - North Haven Magazine Issue 17 Winter 2021

Greetings from The Good Time Gardens:
North Haven’s

Oasis
Oasis

by Marisa Hexter
“Take peace and joy and gladness/of each a generous lot/some carefulness and merriment/
and mirth and kindly thought.” This excerpt is from the poem, “A Recipe for Peace”, written
about “The Good Time Gardens”, a family-owned private park enjoyed by not only North
Haven residents, but visitors from many states, but even some European countries as well. But
what family devised this garden? How did it come to fruition? It starts with the patriarch of
the family, German immigrant Frederick Brocksieper, and ends with three of his unmarried
daughters, Adele, Emma, and Anna. A group of visitors
rederick and his wife Antoinette im- product, they would give it away without ac- far as London. But what did The Good Time
Fmigrated from Germany to the United cepting anything in return. Eventually, some Gardens have to offer? What made it so spe-
States around 1850, ending up in New Ha- of the acreage was leased to the Montowese cial?
ven where Frederick got a job as a hardware Brick Company as well.
manufacturer for Sargent and Company. In
1864, the family purchased an 11-room cot- In 1894, the Brocksiepers moved again, but
tage in the Montowese section of town and this time next door to their new Victorian
lived there during the summers, while they home. It was one of the first homes in North
still had an apartment in New Haven for the Haven to have an indoor bathroom because
winters. The Brocksiepers had a total of nine of a windmill that provided running water.
children, Frederick Jr., Antoinette, Anna, Today, the house would have stood where
Emma, Adele, Joseph, and John; as well as Montowese Health and Rehab Center is on
two children who died in infancy. The family Quinnipiac Avenue. Antoinette died in 1898,
moved permanently to Montowese in 1872. followed by Frederick in 1900. This left the
While still working at Sargent, Frederick children to work out what to do with the
also became what was known as a gentle- many acres of land and a large home. Of the
man farmer for his 180 acres of land. As a children, Frederick Jr. was married in Cali- A sample of visitor's list
gentleman farmer, Frederick did not have to fornia, Joesph was a doctor in New Britain,
work his land for profit (what North Haven John already owned and worked a farm, and
farmers were known for), but rather used his Antoinette was married with her own fami- Let’s say it's the late summer of 1904. You
land for the pleasure of overseeing the differ- ly. This left the three unmarried sisters who were either invited or reserved a spot at
lived with their parents until their deaths, the gardens for the day. The first attraction
Anna, Emma, and Adele. The children de- you would see when stepping off the trolley
cided together to leave the property, leases, would be the swan fountain surrounded by
and rent, and home to the three sisters to a cement pool in front of the Brocksieper’s
handle. Thus, the Brocksieper sisters, as they grand house. As you would walk through the
were known, began their start of The Good 15-acres of gardens, there would be museums
Time Gardens. with taxidermy animals, play attractions for
children, and an aerial railway that cascad-
The true origins of why and how The Good ed over the small lake (Lake George). There
Time Gardens began is unknown, but during was also a tennis court, croquet grounds,
the early 1900s, private parks began to ap- rafts and boats, and meadows of vegetable
pear throughout the country as a way for and flower gardens, which were designed
families to enjoy their leisure time. This cor- in specific patterns. Sometimes there would
The Grounds responded with more frequent use of trolley also be attractions like clowns and other
systems as well. The first visitors reported sideshow-like amusements, which made The
ent mills and gardens. From saw and bone to in their register was on June 6, 1904, mostly Good Time Gardens stand out from other
cider mills, he also had a plethora of flow- local clergymen and their families. As time private parks. Many private parks did not in-
er and vegetable gardens. Nothing went to went on, more and more visitors were com- clude sideshows in their list of attractions as
waste though, if the family had a surplus of ing from nearby towns and cities. Some as many thought them to be garish.

North Haven Magazine - Winter Issue 2021
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