Faux Bois Benches

A rustic bench shown near the Piedmont Springs grotto in 1877 began a tradition of park seating in Piedmont Park that continued when Frank C. Havens renovated the park in the 1890s, adding rustic benches, bridges, fences, and other decorative elements made of natural materials. Although these benches suited the park setting, they were not durable, and by the 1920s the stickwork benches had been replaced by faux bois cement benches, which also deteriorated over time. The last bench was removed from the park in 2001 with the intention of restoring it, but it was beyond repair. The tradition of wooden benches in Piedmont Park survived through the efforts of the Piedmont Beautification Foundation, which funded the design and creation of a new Faux Bois Bench installed at the City Hall courtyard in 2005.

Piedmont, California · United States