Once an old summer camp, Camp Mitchman came up for sale in Beverly, Massachusetts in 2016. The owners didn’t want the property to go to a developer that would simply tear down the historic buildings to build a new subdivision. They wanted the property to go to a buyer that would maintain the historic spirit of the camp while continuing its use for a community-oriented purpose.

So that year, in 2016, they sold it to Edenic Development, a nonprofit organization created to develop property according to the ideals of the Garden of Eden. The Garden School is the expression of that ideal on this particular property. The curriculum for the school would be the restoration––the edenic (eden-like) development––of the property.

This is how The Garden School was born! Learn by Doing is the motto of the school. Establishing gardens and restoring the buildings have provided learning experiences for scores of students and volunteers. As the property is restored and embellished we are creating a foundation for more and ongoing educational opportunities, making use of both outdoor and indoor spaces.