Kearney, Matthew, 1909-1973

Person

Dates

Existence: 1909 - 1973

Biography

Matthew Kearney was born in Ireland in 1909. After immigrating to the United States, he made a career for himself as a gardener. Robert and Mildred Bliss hired Kearney in 1930, when their estate was still known as The Oaks and later Dumbarton Oaks. He worked under first superintendent William Gray and then, beginning in 1937, James Bryce. Around 1940 when Dumbarton Oaks transitioned to Harvard University, Kearney left briefly to work for Gude’s Nursery in Rockville, MD. Kearney returned, and in 1948, he took over as Superintendent of Gardens. He remained in charge of the gardens until his death in 1973. He is honored with a memorial plaque under a lead canopy on the stair landing between the Rose Garden and Fountain Terrace.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Superintendent's Cottage

FOUND IN: Dumbarton Oaks / Collection: Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives / Series: Photographs

Sub-Series — Folder 10Identifier: DDO-RB-GAR-001

Scope and Contents: Seven black and white photographs of The Superintendent’s Cottage, sometimes called the Gardener’s Cottage at Dumbarton Oaks. It fronts S Street, Washington, D.C. located just west of the Service Court gates.In 1923, Mildred Bliss suggested to her architects that they build a duplex to house the butler and the head gardener, William Gray and his family. Following her suggestion, they planned the small gabled house to be a part of the Service Court Quadrangle. However, when the...

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Subject: Historic gardens -- Washington (D.C.) X