McGill Rose Garden

In 1950, Henry McGill purchased a block of land that was home to a coal yard owned by W. A. Avant. Avant, owner of Avant Fuel and Ice Co., sold the property to Henry, who kept the coal business running for a while afterwards. Helen McGill, Henry’s wife, decided to beautify the area by planting two rose bushes, and eventually added numerous rose beds over three decades to the property. Today, discover the Seaboard Coastline coal car still on its tracks, located to the left of the garden. The Seaboard Railroad Company donated the 34-ton coal hopper car as a memorial in memory of Helen McGill.