View from the Path: Jens Jensen in Kenilworth

Jens Jensen was a landscape architect that quickly earned renown throughout the midwest.

He was often celebrated as a leader of a more “naturalistic” approach to landscape design. Jensen was active in Kenilworth’s landscape design from 1906 starting with Kenilworth Park outside the Assembly Hall, moving through five private home projects and culminating in 1933 with a rare late commission, the beautiful Mahoney Park. Jensen was introduced to Kenilworth through his friend and associate, George Maher, a renowned architect and community planner in Kenilworth’s early years.

The garden designs by Jens Jensen in Kenilworth represent a cross-section of his developing design style and include many great examples of his work on a smaller scale. Unlike his designs for larger estates in Lake Forest and Highland Park, his designs in Kenilworth are relatively flat, modest, and include simple detailing to emphasize a sense of privacy rather than display. By this point in his career, Jensen had a growing emphasis on using native flora and wildlife habitats which is reflected in his design for Mahoney Park. 

The exhibit was released alongside a book detailing all of Jensen’s projects and other parks/landscapes throughout Kenilworth. The book, View from the Path: Jens Jensen in Kenilworth, can be purchased at the museum for $20.00.