By: Samara C George, Salem College Historical Society

This image is from Digital Forsyth.

Did you know that the FAC used to be a lily pond? It’s true, and there are photos to prove it! Dr. Bahnson’s lily pond was truly a feat to behold. He had a talent for plant curation, and his vast garden and lily pond were a testament to his skill and dedication. Dr. Henry T. Bahnson’s home was located upon the hill behind the FAC, next to where the Moravian Archives stand today. According to a 1946 survey titled “Old Salem: North Carolina,” Dr. Bahnson bought the house from Dr. Schumann (spellings of his name vary by source), who was a practicing physician in Salem and a lover of plants.

During his time living in the house, Dr. Schumann curated and grew an impressive tiered garden. This garden was upheld when it was sold to Dr. Bahnson. The scope and detail of the garden were described in the same 1946 survey on page 130: “… the garden is laid out in terraced squares which contain a great variety of blossoms… The flower garden is separated from the vegetable garden by a very fine old hedge of English box. The path leads down through the squares of vegetables until the hill drops away abruptly to a glen fifty feet below”.

In this glen was the lily pond! It was not deep nor wide; as seen in the photo, it was only about knee-deep. Its purpose was primarily to cultivate aquatic plants; of these plants, the lilypads were the most striking. The specific species of lilypad Dr. Bahnson grew were Victoria regia, which are known for their large, circular, lilypads and iconic water lilies. On page 132 of the 1946 survey, the lilypads in Dr. Bahnson’s pond were described as being “strong enough to hold a child of ten years seated upon it.” The strength of the leaves was a testament to Dr. Bahnson’s skill in botany. Unfortunately, Dr. Bahnson had the pond drained when he could “no longer give it the time and attention it deserved,” which was towards the end of Dr. Bahnson’s life according to page 132 of the survey.

It must have been quite the sight to behold! How lovely it may have been to enjoy the presence of the lily pond… maybe we could throw a few lilypads in the fish pond. Nevertheless, Dr. Bahnson’s lily pond is only one of many of Salem’s landmarks that have been lost to time.