The Sweeney Lily Pond & Grounds.
This striking scene on the grounds of the Sweeney home served as the frontispiece for the chapter on Ward Parkway in the book, The Grand American Avenue, which was published to accompany the national exhibit at the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C. It demonstrates the concern with which owners of Ward Parkway houses frequently addressed the landscaping and exterior features of their often large lots. This scene, with its classical features and semi-circular pergola, faced the rear of the lily pond shown in reverse orientation [shown in the photo above]. It was the view of the nearest portion of the rear garden area as seen from the house itself. In Sweeney’s period of ownership, the house was sited on a lot encompassing most of a block. Later owners sold off portions of the huge lot for additional homesites.

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