A fernery was opened in October 1885. It was 120 feet (37 metres) long, 60 feet (18.5 metres) wide and was located where the George M. Hitchcock Fountain now stands. The fernery was extended in 1886 by an octagon 60 feet (18.5 metres) high, with a pond located underneath. A third section was added in 1887, taking the total length to 300 feet (92 metres). By 1920 the ferns were becoming overgrown, and the fernery was demolished some time after World War II because the wooden structure was falling into disrepair.