1939c Stevensville Texas, RAYS ORNAMENTAL GARDENS historic folk art photograph

Description

PLEASE READ BEFORE BUYING:
I sell ORIGINAL items ONLY and NOT ANY reproductions.
This sale is for
ONE
(note there are 3 detail images included)
photographer's
LARGE
PHOTOGRAPH
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LOCATED IN
Stephenville Texas
The gardens are considered to be a folk art installation.  The photo was likely taken and developed by a photographer.
Photograph image is Circa 1939
I have several copies if you are interested message me.
Fortunately, I knew what town the photo was associated with, which via google I matched up the photo item with a very nice website paying tribute to the folk art gardens.  Information below is based upon that website.  The site is dated and was Posted on November 30, 2018 by Martin Delabano.  I suggest if you are interested in Ray's Ornamental Gardens to click on the site.  Ebay doesn't allow links on listings or I would have included that here.
George Ellis Ray
was born in February 16, 1881 in Wayne County, Tennessee.  He married his first wife,
Melissa Martha May Gallaher
in May 1900 and they had 4 children.  They moved to
Stephenville, Texas
where George owned a general merchandise store downtown.
Melissa passed away in Stephenville in 1932 and it is thought it was then he started building the gardens.
Sometime later he married his second wife Ruth.  The gardens were constructed out of concrete embedded with tile, colored glass, and ceramic pieces and hand painted signs of text.  The garden was wired for lights that illuminated the garden and sculptures.  In the middle of the garden was a big orb form put together from pieces of quartz.  I can imagine at night it looked like a meteorite had crashed into the middle of the garden.
Supposedly when people strolled through the gardens, gospel music would play through a loud-speaker In it's heyday, the gardens were a popular place for locals and travelers thru Stephensville to visit.  The website notes that the author's in-laws went to the gardens on some of their first dates. ;)
Heart Breaking
On my first visit to Stephenville to meet my future in-laws, my wife and I took a little field trip out to the gardens.  The garden was up on top of a hill overlooking the dry branch of the Bosque River.  When I turned onto the street, the state of the site was heart breaking.  After the gardens creator, George Ellis Ray, passed away there was no one to maintain the property and it fell into disrepair and was also heavily vandalized. I’ve heard it said that some people have bits and pieces of the garden in their backyards.  The property had changed hands several times and one of the previous owners had bulldozed a lot of it off the side of the hill toward the river and the rest of it he was stacking lumber and junk on.
George Ellis Ray died July 3, 1957 at the age of 76.
From archived information on SPACES archives he died from schizophrenia /dementia.  He was buried at
East Memorial Cemetery in Stephenville.
An Eerie Beauty
There is not much that still stands of the once glorious Ray’s Ornamental Gardens and not many people who presently live in Stephenville even knew it was there.
Condition:  It is in very good condition sold as is.  It is a black and white photo but the tone of the print is sepia shades.
Approximate size
of
full paper is 8" x 10", the actual photo in center is
3 1/2" X 9".
The EBAY tag is loose piece of paper that is NOT attached to this letterhead.
If you have any questions, please contact me
TERMS & CONDITIONS:
Immediate EBAY payment is required.  Free shipping to the continental U.S. only.  When you receive your item, PLEASE leave feedback (I will see it) and I will reciprocate feedback at that time.
For related ephemera, antique documents and paper collectibles,
PLEASE
view the items in my Ebay store at
TexasJohnnyboy Ephemera.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH and GOOD LUCK TO YOU.