Enchanted Forest

I used to play there when I was a small boy. It opened in 1955, the same year as Disneyland. I frolicked with Jack and Jill, the three little pigs,Humpty Dumpty and all the story book charactes from a time way before Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers. Time had forgotten the Encahnted Forest and it closed in 1988.

In 2005, I randomly discovered there had been a revitalization effort to restore the EF to it's former glory but the original location had become far too overgrown and impractical for the kingdom to ever reopen there. However, Martha Clark of Clarks Elioak Farm saw an oppertunity to save what was left and made a deal with the property owners to have many of the original pieces transported over to her petting farm two miles away. I repaired or rebuilt the pieces that were damaged or missing, sometimes using actual photos my mother took of me and my brothers in the 60s playing near or around the figures themselves!

In a way, it was as if I was a prince or knight returning to save the kingdom. After all, the place had inspired me so much as a child, I even grew up to use the word "enchanted" as part of the name of my studio . It was truly like I had reunited with old friends or family members.

links:
www.clarklandfarm.com
www.theenchantedforest.ellicottcity.net