From Italian Inspired Estate to County Park

“Bugsy” Siegel, Al Capone, “Lucky” Luciano. These are some of the most infamous gangsters in American history. With America’s choice to outlaw the manufacture and sale of alcohol in 1920, the Prohibition Era began and the rise of the mob went with it. 

One mobster who took advantage of this rise was Vito Genovese. By 1957, he would become capo dei capi, the “Boss of the Bosses,” the leader of the Five Families. However, when he wanted to escape his life in New York, he chose Monmouth County. In 1935, he purchased a 42 acres estate on Red Hill Road. The estate went through grand alterations in order to make the home and surrounding landscape reminiscent of Italy. Today, visitors know the estate as Deep Cut Gardens. 

The picturesque park allows visitors to experience beautiful gardens in every season. The Genovese home burned down in 1937 while the family was in Italy fleeing an indictment on murder. However, the peanut stone walls, pergola, and rose parterre that Genovese had installed still remain. One of the most interesting of these remaining features is the mini-Vesuvius that was created from local stone. The fire pit was meant to be reminiscent of Mount Vesuvius near Naples, Italy.

After the Genovese house burned down, the Deep Cut property fell into a state of decay. This was turned around in 1952 when Marjorie and Karl Wihtol purchased the property. It is their home that today serves as the park’s Horticultural Center. The pool the Wihtol’s added has been turned into the lily pond with brightly colored koi. In 1977, Marjorie Wihtol willed the first half of Deep Cut Gardens to the Monmouth County Park System. The remainder of the property was purchased later that year. Today visitors can experience the expansive views and colorful blossoming beauty of Deep Cut Gardens.

Check out the Deep Cut Gardens Story Map which highlights key park features and plant life as well as offers a more extensive history of the site: https://arcg.is/5Dnmi.