With its famous stately oak tree and fairytale cottage, many locals consider Lichgate a magical Tallahassee destination.
But as Sonja De La Cruz approached the thatched-roof, Tudor-style home that was once the home of a legendary FSU professor on Saturday, fear filled her.
As the administrator of the nonprofit organization that manages the historic property walked past the remains of the door that had been thrown out of its frame, she saw that every piece of furniture had been thrown into the middle of the room and there were shards of glass everywhere.
“The furniture was piled up like it was a cremation pile,” she told the Democrat, holding back tears. “I had to turn around, walk out the door and come back in.”
Once inside, De La Cruz spoke with a police officer who told her that the cottage that once served as a refuge for FSU English professor Laura Jepsen had been vandalized. One volunteer went a step further and said it had been “looted.”
While the location was being dusted for fingerprints, it was not clear whether the perpetrator or perpetrators intended to destroy it or turn it upside down to search for valuables.
De La Cruz said there was nothing of “true monetary value” in the cabin, but there were plenty of valuable antiques and memorabilia.
The windows were spared, but the door to Jepsen's antique glass cabinet was torn off, the glass shattered and the wood splintered. Jepsen's personal belongings, books she had written, lamps and porcelain were thrown in shards onto the floor. Upstairs, another heavy door was violently ripped off its hinges. A filing cabinet was broken into, but it only contained historical documents.
“There are so many who love Lichgate, so many who took their wedding vows there. So many people just coming to hug the tree. And now to see that someone has vandalized our beautiful place,” she said as she reflected, “a place of reflection, peace and energy.”
“Lichgate has been injured.”
On Saturday, volunteers gathered to clean and board up the windows and back door to secure the property.
Located at 1401 High Road, the three-acre green space, the majestic oak tree “that inspired poets,” a labyrinth and a charming cottage are nestled between apartment complexes. The property was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2006 and has inspired countless visitors and volunteers who dedicate their time to caring for the property and its gardens.
In her book Lichgate on High Road, Jepsen tells how she built her cottage near the tree, which is estimated to be between 175 and 300 years old. The house was not just a construction project. “To conquer time, to preserve the essence of the past, to escape into reality,” Jepsen wrote, “these were my threefold desires when I began building Lichgate.”
Now De La Cruz is asking the community for help in fulfilling those wishes, which still exist for the small nonprofit that manages the site.
Jepsen's cabinet and table need professional restoration. All of their furniture is dented and damaged. Although it pains her to have to spend money to protect a place of peace, the property must be secured with a chain-link fence, security cameras and outdoor lighting.
This is not the first time the property has been targeted. After Jepsen's death in 1995, the house was destroyed. The furniture was stolen; all the windows were broken; and many of their papers burned. Years later, Jepsen's antique clock was found in a high school janitor's closet. The school restored the clock and returned it.
For years there was peace on the property, but now an “urban jungle” is looming over the property, De La Cruz said. The magic, she said, must be preserved for future generations.
Would you like to help?
Call Lichgate Director and Administrator Sonja De La Cruz at 850-363-2717.