Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden

The Springfield (MA) Museum Quadrangle features the urban park and sculpture garden honoring Springfield native son Theodor Seuss Geisel. This urban oasis, planted with ornamental trees and shrubs, blooms with white flowers in early summer. Massive shade trees provide summer and autumn gathering and relaxation space.

Early Summer-Blooming Ornamental Trees and Shrubs

• White Redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Alba’): Hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9 depending upon seed source of the mature plant; small tree that branches close to the ground unless pruned to a single trunk; forms either a spreading flat-topped or rounded crown; flowers produced in fascicles or racemes, sometimes appearing to originate from bark, in April to May (earlier in the south); mature height may be 20 to 30′ x 25 to 35′ in width. (Photo #1)
• American Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea): USDA Zones 4 to 9 hardy; a low branching tree with a broad rounded crown of delicate branches; terminal panicles of fragrant white flowers in May to early June (earlier in the south); mature height may be 30 to 50′ x 40 to 55′ spread. (Photo #2)
• Azalea ‘Delaware Valley White’ (Rhododendron sp.): An evergreen azalea that is not reliably winter hardy throughout USDA Zone 5; appears to grow well in this garden’s enclosed site; grows to 3 to 4′ tall; single tubular, funnel-shaped, white flowers (to 2.5″ across) bloom in clusters in late April to May.

Summer and Autumn Trees and Shrubs

• Sycamore / Plane Tree (Platanus sp.): USDA Zones 4 to 9 hardy; mature height may be 75 to 100′ with a similar or greater width; disease susceptible; high maintenance due to leaf, branch and fruit drop. (Photo #3)
• Wintercreeper Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei): USDA Zones 5 to 8 hardy (does survive in zone 4 with snow cover); an evergreen; grows 4 to 12″ high when used as a ground cover; a true, clinging vine when planted against a structure or tree.

Central Sculptural Seuss Character Groupings

• Dr. Seuss and the Cat in the Hat: Theodor Geisel at his drawing board, with the Cat in the Hat at his side. (Photo #4)
• Horton Court: 14-foot Horton the Elephant stepping out of an open book, accompanied by Thing One, Thing Two, Sam-I-Am, Sally and her brother, and Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose.
• The Storyteller: A Seussian storytelling chair, backed by a 10-foot-tall book with the text of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! with Gertrude McFuzz perched on top and the Grinch and his dog, Max, peeking around the side.

Solitary Sculptural Seuss Characters

• The Lorax: Stands on a stump in front of the Springfield Science Museum near the Quadrangle’s far corner; his displayed warning “Unless…,” emphasizes the museum’s environmental education mission. (Photo #5)
• Yertle the Turtle and Friends create a 10-turtle-tall tower next to the Museum of Fine Arts; placed in the center of the Seussian Yertle Garden, winding granite pathways and perennial landscaping surround the tower.

Theodor Seuss Geisel and Springfield, MA

Springfield was the birthplace of Theodor Seuss Geisel in 1904. The city appears to have inspired much of his work. His father was a parks commissioner in charge of the Forest Park Zoo. The zoo was a regular playground for young Geisel.

Names of streets, drawings of buildings, names of characters, and numerous other images throughout Dr. Seuss’ books suggest Springfield. The name “Mulberry Street” from the title of Dr. Seuss’ first book that he both wrote and illustrated, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, comes from a street of that same name a few blocks from the Museum Quadrangle.

Springfield Library & Museums Association

After Geisel’s death in 1991, his wife, Audrey, authorized the Association to create the national memorial. She has been a major supporter throughout the project. Geisel’s step-daughter sculptor Lark Grey Dimond-Cates created the bronze sculptures of Dr. Seuss and his most beloved characters.

A variety of public and private sources, led by a generous gift from Mrs. Geisel, funded the $6.2 million project. A federal HUD grant, secured by Sen. Edward Kennedy and Congressman Richard Neal, helped pay for infrastructure and accessibility improvements in the park.

The Springfield Museums Association is a private, nonprofit organization that includes:

• the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum,
• the Springfield Science Museum,
• the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum and,
• the Museum of Fine Arts.

All of these museums group around the central Quadrangle that features the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.