Green Trees Halpin House & Gardens

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g-rchlleci i2andscape 9nzknbr esl Oner Jrchitci � Karl Humphrey, Jr. E. J. Phelps Elizabeth H. Johnston Karl Humphrey, Jr., architect Edmund J. Phelps, a Harvard- Elizabeth H. Johnston, a per- of a number of Wayzata's most trained landscape architect, is sonal friend of the Halpins and prominent residences, came to best known for his park-like an interior designer of national Minneapolis as a child when his design for Green Trees.He also reputation, was Mrs. Halpin's father joined General Mills as designed the plan for the principal adviser in matters of treasurer. He received two Japanese Embassy in Washing- furnishings. She and Mrs. degrees from Yale, and in 1947 ton, D.C., and the plan for the Halpin went on expeditions to he and Collis Hardenburgh General Mills headquarters here, select antiques,rugs,and fabrics formed their own firm, Hum- but his specialty was estate for the house, since the fire phrey & Hardenburgh, Inc. Mr. gardens. which gutted the previous house Humphrey specialized in resi- forced Mrs.Halpin to complete- dential architecture because he On graduating from Yale in ly refurnish and decorate her new liked to develop the total con- 1914, he entered the family home. Known to the Halpins as cept—interiors,exteriors,land- business in real estate and in- "Betty J.," Elizabeth Herrick scaping, and house placement. surance,but his heart was in the Main Johnston was born just He had supervised the remodel- out-of-doors, so he entered the after the turn-of-the-century, ing of the original house on the Harvard graduate school for and was a graduate of Rosemary Halpins'property and was called landscape architecture and was Hall,a boarding school for girls, to "start work immediately," graduated in 1925. and a member of the class of when that house burned down in 1922 of Smith College. She 1950.He planned the new house With a small clientele,mostly at married a local stockbroker in the French style and in the Lake Minnetonka,he weathered and nationally-known golfer, shape of an "H" with promi- the Depression as head of his Harrison "Jimmy" Johnston, nent chimneys and French own design firm.The Lake area and opened her own design doors. He is also responsible was gradually becoming a year- firm in Minneapolis during for the renovation of Wakefield around place to live, and Mrs. World War II. Her father-in- House, a guest house on the Phelps was part of its ascendan- law, Clarence H. Johnston, was property. Mr. Humphrey died cy. His assistant in design was a famous Minnesota architect. in 1974 at the age of 60. another college-trained land- She was a member of the scape architect, Louise P. American Society of Interior Mealey. It was she who planned Designers and of the Friends of the Halpins' English cloverleaf The Minneapolis Institute of garden with its colorful seasonal Arts. The Halpins and the John- displays. Mr. Phelps, now 87, stons toured the Orient to- retired in 1971 after more than 40 gether on a trip which resulted years in an occupation he claims in the purchase of many of the has something to do with Oriental artifacts to be seen in longevity. He and his wife of 59 the house. Mrs. Johnston was years(she was the first president an active designer until her of the Junior League of Minnea- death in 1972. polis), live in Wayzata. 12