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During my undergrad years, I joined Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity. Throughout my time in active membership, I participated in many service projects throughout Tallahassee, and had the opportunity to discover unique places all around Tallahassee. One project that became a very near and dear one, as well as a favorite place of mine to visit, is Lichgate.
Located on High Road just before the Tharpe intersection, there is a small area of land that is undeveloped except for a small cottage (Lichgate) and some gardens. On this land stands an enormous Live Oak tree. Laura Jepson, a professor of literature at Florida State, fell in love with the Live Oak tree, and in order to save it and all of its majesty, purchased the land around the tree and soon built a small English style cottage and began to live in it. Laura Jepson built Lichgate in order to have a place to experience the gentleness and humbleness that can be found in nature, very much like that of Thoreau’s experience with Walden Pond. Once the house was complete, Jepson registered the Live Oak with the Live Oak Society, having to pay the dues of twenty-five acorns a year. Laura Jepson lived at Lichgate for over forty years until she passed away in 1995.
After her death, the land and Lichgate were almost sold to commercial developers, however, soon before the final deal was made, “a small group of people, many of them former students of Miss Jepson’s, came together, formed a non-profit organization, and took out a bank loan to preserve the property”. Since then, Lichgate and the mighty Live Oak that is on its land has become a place taken care of by volunteers like myself, and donations that come from members and the public.
I’m sure many of you reading this are thinking, “so what’s the big deal about a tree on High Road?” To that I would say, go see it. The first time I went to Lichgate to do community service in the form of garden work (which I was not thrilled about doing at 8am on Saturday), I suddenly had a change of heart as I walked the very short trail to where the tree and house stood. Seeing something that beautiful and enormous in the middle of various student housing complexes was overwhelming. Lichgate has now become one of my favorite places throughout Tallahassee to escape to when I need a break from life.
Lichgate is also a great place to go on a picnic, by yourself or with your special someone, and is a great site to host an event. Lichgate also specializes as a wedding venue, providing brides and grooms an absolutely beautiful place to commit themselves to one another. If you are interested in having an event, make sure you schedule it in advance.
If you are interested in visiting Lichgate, you are able to swing by there from dawn until dusk everyday, and tours of the cottage are available on weekends, however, you should contact the non-profit in order to see if any events are going on there. I hope you get your chance to visit this beautiful site and experience the amazing Live Oak at Lichgate.
*To learn more about Lichgate and Laura Jepson, as well as view pictures from events, check out their website: http://www.lichgate.com