Meditation

A single glance at a scene like this immediately invites one to simply take a seat by this pond and quietly meditate on the surrounding beauty and the things you love.

That’s probably what the wife (Cassandra) of Louis J. Simpson, lumber and ship-building magnate had when this Japanese-styled garden and pond was put in. The now restored, 5 acre garden was part of a seaside mansion built over a five year period from 1906 – 1910 as a summer home for his wife. A short walk from the mansion took one to an impressive overlook of the Pacific coast where plate tectonics has left behind its signature with great blocks of continental rock thrust upward along the seashore with relentless waves thundering against the massive blocks. The original mansion was three stories with a salt-water indoor pool and a large ballroom. Destroyed by fire in 1921, Simpson rebuilt a two-story, city-block long structure with 17 rooms, but financial losses eventually forced him to sell the property to the State of Oregon for a mere $29,000 in 1942. Used briefly as a radar station during WWII by the Army, the buildings fell into disrepair and were torn down.

What remains today are the beautiful gardens, still maintained by the state and volunteers. The luxurious display with a 100 foot pond includes plants from around the world; trees, shrubs, flowering plants, award-winning, formal rose gardens, annuals, perennials, and fountains and a large gazebo. It’s a favorite wedding venue. These gardens, now part of Shore Acres State Park, are located SW of Coos Bay, Oregon with Arago and Sunset Bay State Parks close by.

Photo by Carrie Cooney     09/2025