Mingea Cottage & Feagans Garden

As part of VES’s continued commitment to honoring its heritage, the 2016 Master Plan led to a thoughtful revitalization of the Mingea Cottage site, along with honoring a beloved member of VES’s community through the development of the adjacent Mary Feagans Garden. The plan preserves the historic footprint of the long-lost cottage through stabilized foundations and site paving, creating an outdoor classroom that tells the story of the property’s unique role in the school’s early development. This commemorative space—anchored by a new outdoor fireplace—offers both a place for reflection and an opportunity for students to engage with the school’s layered history.  The project also included a new tent lawn to facilitate large campus events at the heart of campus.