Just beyond the tree line, you’ll find yourself in a canopied cove away from the bustling cars on the busy street. Tread deeper, away from the sounds of society, and you’ll be greeted by a peculiar wooden gateway stretched up into the trees. This singular pathway will lead you into the presence of a massive oak tree standing confidently over the grassy plot of land. This single oak is said to have stood for hundreds of years, proudly displaying dominance over time’s clutches since the days of Shakespeare. You’re now within the confines of Lichgate, and you’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like. Walk amongst the trees. Watch the butterflies roam about the gardens. Sit on the isolated benches of the garden. Lay underneath the shade of the great oak’s overarching branches, but, as the sign on it requests, please do not climb. This place was once a home. Now, it’s a fairytale-like getaway spot right here in Tallahassee.
In 1966, Dr. Laura Jepsen purchased the property Tallahassee has come to know as Lichgate. Jepsen, a professor of creative writing, humanities and literature, had a fascination for Shakespearean texts. Her fascination with ancient literature forged her search for a place where she could get away from the modern world. Her idea to build a home preceded finding the property, but she promptly decided on Lichgate after meeting the great oak tree that stretches across the land.
With a keen eye for antiquity, she carefully chose the materials for the fairy tale cottage that stands on the property to this day. The small cottage is made mostly from repurposed materials. The white pine flooring came from a cottage located in Vermont that has long been demolished. The colonial style fireplace was built with granite from a quarry in Georgia. The woodwork inside and outside of the house is comprised of cedar, redwood and red cypress. The home was built with Dr. Jepsen’s exact view in mind. Fun fact: it didn’t have any form of air conditioning until she turned seventy years old.
After Jepsen passed away from cancer in 1995, the home was given to The Nature Conservancy as a part of Jepsen’s will, in which she requested that the permanence of Lichgate be carried on. However, in 1996, The Nature Conservancy began advertising the property to potential buyers. Many coworkers and former students objected to this decision and raised money to purchase the land back from the conservancy. In August 1997, a group of former students and faculty members, known as the Laura Jepsen Institute Inc., legally purchased the property, and it has orchestrated renovations to the cottage as needed over the years.
Through this institute’s hard work and respect for this spot for separation from society, Laura Jepsen’s home is free to peruse. Of Tallahassee’s natural parks and scenic outing spots, Lichgate is definitely less well known than others, and it’s just a relaxing step into Tallahassee’s history. For more information, visit lichgateonhighroad.org. 
Matthew Jones
Home & Yard Magazine
