Kingwood Center Gardens

This October, Kingwood was excited to finally open the doors to the Garden Gateway! While this big moment brought along many new changes, it also paved the way for something we've all wanted for a long time....

Let's restore the 3rd floor of Kingwood Hall!

Your support is vital to this incredible project!  Read below to learn more and find out how your donation can earn you a sneak peek!

Our founder, Charles Kelley King, noted in his trust that the 3rd floor should primarily be used for his library and executive offices and that is what they became - offices. Mr. King was a visionary in many ways but somehow didn’t see the appeal that his lovely home would have for Kingwood guests.  Since Kingwood opened to visitors in 1953, the intrigue and fascination has continued to grow.

Now we can truly begin the process of opening the 3rd floor for tours and we need your help! Most of the 3rd floor furnishings were sold by auction after Mr. King’s death in 1952 to make room for the executive offices for those who would oversee operations. We would love to try to locate some of the furniture.

The 3rd floor includes 5 bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. Mr. King's and Mrs. King's bedrooms are adjoined by a boudoir. All of the bedrooms and the boudoir feature uniquely-designed fireplaces.  You'll also find the three bedrooms and shared bathroom that make up the servants' quarters.

We do have photographs of the rooms as they looked during Mr. King’s days and we plan to have have them on display. We hope to stage the rooms in as similar fashion as is reasonable.

However, prior to staging the rooms there are much needed basic repairs and restorative work that must come first:

• It isn’t surprising that repairs are needed to the plaster walls and ceilings, to remedy water damage.
• Some rooms still have original carpeting. We need to replace the thread-bare carpet with a close match to the original (as was done on the 2nd floor and stairway)                      
• Some rooms have been ‘updated’ throughout the decades with commercial lighting and carpet. The long-term goal is to restore all of the rooms to their original beauty and this will include removing ceiling fans, some lights, restoring draperies to the look of the original.
• Most restrooms are original with no updates; however, repairs are needed.
• We plan to open 1 or 2 rooms at a time as repairs are done, beginning with Mr. and Mrs. King’s rooms.

Any donation will help us achieve our goal of restoring the 3rd floor of Kingwood Hall for you to enjoy. However, as we know this is a passion project for many, we are excited to offer an exclusive first look at the renovations to anyone who donates over $50 to this campaign.*

*Exclusive first look date TBD based on project progress

About Us

Kingwood Center Gardens is the historic garden estate and former home of Charles Kelley King, who was an influential industrialist and visionary at the Ohio Brass Company. Come and explore the grounds featuring 47 sprawling acres renowned for both their historic significance and exquisite gardens.

Kingwood also offers an extensive line-up of activities and educational programming including lectures, workshops, children’s programs, and special events.