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Garden Club of Amherst Records
Table of Contents
- Abstract
- Biographical Note
- Scope and Content
- Extent
- Access Restrictions
- Provenance
- Preferred Citation
- Processing Information
- Related Materials
- Arrangement
- Series Descriptions
- Collection Inventory
Garden Club Plant Sale, 1965
Biographical Note
Founded in August of 1915 by Mrs. William J. Newlin, the Garden Club began as a social meeting of women with a “working interest in one’s garden.” When the club first began its meetings were weekly, later changing to a monthly affair. As the club and its members grew there was soon a great interest in serving the community, to be of aid during the first, and later, the Second World War. Their community involvement began in Amherst, distributing newsletters, and engaging in local projects such as tending to the town common landscape. The first service achievement is likely considered to be their 1917 benefit for the Red Cross, with many achievements in following years. The 75th year of the Garden Club of Amherst marked a change; the club began building on their past service and created a scholarship to support a horticulture student attending UMASS Amherst. As well, they continue to celebrate their work and membership with anniversary dinners. With over 100 years of service and devotion to the town and horticulture, the Garden Club of Amherst continues to thrive with over 40 members and continuous work throughout the Amherst area.
Scope and Content
This collection spans the life of the Garden Club of Amherst, from its founding in 1915 through the preparation and completion of its centennial celebration in 2015, along with other small items and letters following. The collection offers visuals in the format of photos, negatives, and slides showing events and member activities. This collection also houses both editions of the Trees of Amherst publication (1959 and 1975), scrapbooks, awards, and administrative documents such as meeting minutes, treasurer accounts, and binders of three past secretaries spanning 1980-2007.
Series Descriptions
Series 1: Administrative Documents
This series includes a variety of administrative items: meeting minutes, club programs and history, awards and certificates, a variety of correspondence, and secretary binders. Contents of secretary binders were removed from their three-ring housing and placed in folders following the original order given to the items in each binder, a total of three binders.
Series 2: Projects and Proposals
This series includes scrapbooks, correspondence, plans and pages regarding projects of the Garden Club, such as the Trees of Amherst publication both in 1959 and 1975, the centennial celebration, and planting projects throughout Amherst and the surrounding area.
Series 1: Administrative Documents
| Box | Folder | Title/ Description | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Awards: 1st prize for wreaths, from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Certificate of Merit for Literary interest Trees of Amherst publication from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, 2nd prize Western Massachusetts Flower Show including letter and photos, Recognition of Distinguished Service from the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Recognition of Distinguished Service in Landscaping and Development of Echo Hill from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Gold Medal certificate for 5th annual Fall Flower and Vegetable Show from Veterans Administration Hospital Northampton. |
1937, 1954-1966 |
| OV1 | 4 | Awards: Certificate of Distinguished War Service from United Service Organizations. |
1941 |
| 1 | 2 | Achievement award and application, Trees of Amherst. |
1959 |
| 1 | 3 | Awards: Certificate of Merit for Trees of Amherst from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Hull Book Award from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, State Publication Certificate of Merit. |
1975-1976 |
| 1 | 4 | Awards: Recognition of Distinguished Service for Civic Projects from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Cornelia Williamson Watson Award for Historic Preservation from the New England Region National Council of State Garden Clubs Inc., Certificate of Merit from the National Council of State Garden Clubs Inc. |
1978-1979 |
| 1 | 5 | Awards: CARE Citation of Appreciation |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Awards: Distinction Award from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. |
1997 |
| 1 | 7 | Awards: Distinction Awards from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, and certificate of appreciation from National Garden Clubs Inc. |
2001, 2006, 2011 |
| 11 | Awards: Silver bowl from the 1953 Western Massachusetts Flower Show. |
1953 | |
| 11 | Trees of Amherst 1959, scrapbook outline. |
1959 | |
| 11 | Awards: Ribbons 1st place Eastern States Exposition, Outstanding Award VA Hospital Flower and Vegetable Show. |
1937, 1966 |
|
| 1 | 8 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion. |
1915-1921 |
| 1 | 9 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion. |
1921-1925 |
| 1 | 10 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion. |
1926-1931 |
| 1 | 11 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion. |
1932-1937 |
| 1 | 12 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion, including secretary’s savings of select news clippings and typed pages. |
1938-1948 |
| 1 | 13 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion, including secretary’s savings of select news clippings and typed pages. |
1949-1957 |
| 2 | 1 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook pages noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion, including secretary’s savings of select news clippings, notes, and typed pages. |
1958-1959 |
| 2 | 2 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook pages noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion, including secretary’s savings of select news clippings, notes, and typed pages. |
1959-1970 |
| 2 | 3 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary notebook pages noting garden club meeting minutes and discussion. |
1971-1984 |
| 2 | 4 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary pages typed. |
1993 |
| 2 | 5 | Meeting Minutes: Secretary pages typed, and email pages. |
2010-2011, 2016 |
| 2 | 6 | A History of the Garden Club: Booklets and pages titled A History of the Garden Club 1915-1965, and A History of the Garden Club 1966-1990. |
1915-1990 |
| 2 | 7 | Garden Club Programs |
1916-1940 |
| 2 | 8 | Garden Club Programs |
1941-1959 |
| 2 | 9 | Garden Club Programs |
1960-1989 |
| 3 | 1 | Garden Club Programs |
1990-2012 |
| 3 | 2 | Member Lists and 2016-2017 Slate | 1915-1990, 2016-2017 |
| 3 | 3 | Garden Club Outings and Dinners: Includes a Flower Show 1934 program, Flower Festival 1936 flyer, May quarterly news bulletin from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, 18th Century Garden brochures, The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts yearbook number one, The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts yearbook 1939, Garden Pilgrimage signup page, Anniversary Dinner signup and menu. |
1934,1936, 2015, undated |
| 3 | 4 | Project and Horticulture Aid Correspondence: Groff Park Survey letter from the Amherst Recreation Committee, letters and pages regarding donation to Mrs. Ralph France in Karachi Pakistan for the Gandhi Garden, a letter addressing fraternity ground upkeep from president of the Interfraternity Council, and a letter regarding paved parking by the common and tree planting. |
1955-1961, undated |
| 3 | 5 | Memos, Gifts, and Personal Correspondence: Letters, clippings notes, centennial items, and Margaret Ball Craig eulogy, 1915 Pronunciation of plant names book from the Garden Club of Michigan to the Garden Club of Amherst. |
1915, 1996, 2010, 2017 |
| 3 | 6 | Member Personal Acknowledgements and Contributions: Newspaper articles, viewpoint article, list of other botanical organizations and websites, and club’s list of favorite gardening books. |
1942, 1974, 2010, 2014-2015 |
| 3 | 7 | Thank You Letters: Letters from: Amherst Public Schools, Town of Amherst, Town of Amherst Conservation Commission, The Kestrel Trust, Amherst Development Authority, Western Massachusetts Girl Scout Council, Amherst Historical Society, Kathleen Scott on behalf of UMASS Amherst, Khmer Growers of Western Massachusetts, the Hitchcock Center, and Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. |
1963-2011, 2014 |
| 3 | 8 | Letters of Resignation | 1939-1997, 2014, undated |
| 3 | 9 | Accounting Ledger | 1958-1961 |
| 3 | 10 | Chairman Reports | 1951-1973 |
| 3 | 11 | Plant Sale Reports, Notes, and News | 1959-1970, 2015, undated |
| 3 | 12 | Treasurer Reports, Annual Report | 1965-1996, 2011, 2015-2016 |
| 3 | 13 | Treasurer Reports and Income Analysis | 2001, 2008-2011 |
| 3 | 14 | Annual Meeting notes and Agendas |
2010-2011 |
| 4 | 1 | Guidelines and Bylaws: Selected years within date range. |
1965-2012 |
| 4 | 2 | Club Notes for Donation of Materials to Jones Library |
undated |
| 4 | 3 | Secretary Binder Sleeve Notes: Items kept in back sleeve of original three ring binder, bylaws, archival content, and Ad Hoc Committee page. |
1980, 1998, 1999 |
| 4 | 4 | Secretary Binder: Treasurer report 1976, meeting notes, Annual Report 1986, Treasurer Report 1987, Treasurer Report 1988, Treasurer Report 1989, Treasurer Report 1990, Member Address List 1990, Plant Sale preparation page 1994, Annual Report 1994, Treasurer Report 1994. |
1976, 1984-1994 |
| 4 | 5 | Secretary Binder: Meeting notes, Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts rules and guidelines, Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Annual Report 1996 worksheet, membership request letter for Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts 1996 from president of the Garden Club of Amherst, Treasurer Report 1995, Annual Report 1996, Treasurer Report 1996, letter to members 1997, letter to members plant sale activities 1997, meeting minutes, income and spending summary, Treasurer Report 1997, Annual Report 1997. |
1995-1997 |
| 4 | 6 | Secretary Binder: Binder contents page, meeting minutes and notes, constitution and bylaws 1997, Treasurer Report 1998, Annual Report 1998. |
1997-1998 |
| 4 | 7 | Secretary Binder: Annual Meeting 2001, Treasurer Report 2001, Annual Report 2001, meeting minutes and notes, plant sale preparation pages 2002, Treasurer Report 1999, Treasurer Report 2002, Treasurer Report- past reports. |
1998-2002 |
| 4 | 8 | Secretary Binder: Meeting notes, Annual Report 1999, Treasurer Report 1999, officers and committees list, Treasurer Report 2000, Annual Report 2000. |
1999-2000 |
| 4 | 9 | Secretary Binder: Meeting notes and minutes, Garden Club of Amherst Gifts 1990-2000, Finance Committee Report 2001, Annual Report 2001, president’s notebook contents page 1990, the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts membership rules and guidelines. |
2001 |
| 4 | 10 | Secretary Binder, Scholarships: Emails and documents regarding Massachusetts scholarships for High School students, and Civic Development and Historic Preservation grant application. |
2007-2008 |
| 4 | 11 | Secretary Binder, Plant Sale: General plant sale preparation documents. |
undated |
| 4 | 12 | Secretary Binder, Bylaws |
1980, 1997 |
| 4 | 13 | Secretary Binder, Treasurer Reports |
1988, 2000-2008 |
| 4 | 14 | Secretary Binder, Officer Duties and Survey: Emails listing duties of President and secretary, Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts club report 2007 and 2005, 2006-2007 yearbook form for Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts. |
2005-2007 |
| 4 | 15 | Secretary Binder, Purpose, Roberts Rules and Current Topics: Online and 501c3 pages in form of emails and handwritten notes, garden club email printouts, email regarding APSTC Projects to enhance town tree program, meeting notes and emails, 2007 program questionnaire, report of program 2006, 2007 officers and committees, and club agenda. |
2006-2007 |
| 4 | 16 | Secretary Binder, Meeting Minutes: Meeting minutes and notes, agendas email printouts and printed documents, email printouts, tree book committee questionnaire, copy of 18th Century Garden brochure pages, 2007 Plant Sale page members present, APSTC Projects to enhance town tree program, meeting notes and emails, Potluck Supper signup sheets, 2006 year in review, letter from the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Celeste Wilson. |
2005-2007 |
| 4 | 17 | Secretary Binder, Meeting Minutes: Minutes, agendas, notes, email printouts, plant sale member attendance list 2008, March programming Allison Bell contact, potluck dinner signup sheets, 20008 program the Garden Club of Amherst 39th year, resignation letter, 2008 programs, letter to members, program discussion, thoughts on plant sale document, committees sign up list, copy of 2007 program, 2008 program questionnaire. |
2008 |
| 4 | 18 | Secretary Binder, Member Lists | 2004-2008 |
| 4 | 19 | Secretary Binder, Correspondence | 2008 |
| 4 | 20 | Secretary Binder Sleeve Notes: Items kept in front sleeve of original three ring binder, bylaws, archival content, and Ad Hoc Committee page. |
1998, 2004-2007 |
| 4 | 21 | Secretary Binder, Publicity and Reports, Sherry Wilson, President (Nov. 2008- July 2011): National Garden Clubs Inc. Award for Trees of Amherst description document, Daily Hampshire Gazette article 2010, correspondence with executive director of the Emily Dickinson Museum, letter regarding The Walking Tours Project¸ description document for The Walking Tours Project, application for the National Garden Clubs Inc. Award Tommy Donnan Certificate of Merit, letter from the Hitchcock Center regarding The Walking Tours Project, meeting minutes, agendas and notes, Ad Hoc Membership documents, proposed amendments draft 2011, proposed garden club donations 2011, Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts 2010 survey report. |
2008-2011 |
| 4 | 22 | Secretary Binder, Membership and Bylaws, Sherry Wilson, President (Nov. 2008- July 2011) | 2008-2011 |
| 4 | 23 | Secretary Binder, Meeting Minutes, Agendas, Sherry Wilson, President (Nov. 2008-July 2011): Meeting minutes, notes and agendas, email printouts, donations list 2011, proposed amendments 2011 draft, Ad Hoc Committee report, letters to members, president’s report 2010, Treasurer Report 2010, Amherst Daffodil Project document, Annual Report 2009, nomination documents, substitute secretary document, Plant Sale Survey 2009. |
2008-2011 |
| 5 | 1 | Secretary Binder, Letters 2011, and Federation 2010, Sherry Wilson, President (Nov. 2008-July 2011): Letters from Sherry Wilson acting president, treasurer reports 2010, income and expense document, banking category reports, sales and expenses 2009, budget analysis, budget history and bank accounts, and Treasurer Report 2009. |
2010-2011 |
| 5 | 2 | Secretary Binder, Meeting Notes, Sherry Wilson, President (Nov. 2008- July-2011): Notes, brochures, new clippings, and 501c3 application document, yearbook directory and email printout. |
2008 |
| 5 | 3 | Digital Files: Meeting minutes (2004-2005), Reminders, Expenses (2004). 100th Anniversary files, booklet, panel files, jpeg photos, and files prepared for printing (2005). Assortment of Garden Club photos.
Note: |
2004-2005, 2015 |
Series 2: Projects and Proposals
| Box | Folder | Title/Description | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| OV1 | Scrapbook 1959-1986 |
||
| OV2 | Scrapbook 1975-2005 (cover slightly damaged by water leak, July 2020) |
||
| OV2 | Scrapbook 1999, 2004-2011 (cover slightly damaged by water leak, July 2020) |
||
| OV1 | 1 | Scrapbook, 1959-1986 Loose pages and photos from maroon scrapbook. |
1975, 1977 |
| OV1 | 2 | Scrapbook 1975-2005 Newspaper articles loose from scrap book. |
2012 |
| OV1 |
3 | Scrapbook 2004-2011 Newspaper articles, brochures, and other loose items from scrap book. |
1999, 2003-2012, undated |
| 5 | 4 | 18th Century Garden Scrapbook |
1960-1968 |
| 5 | 5 | 18th Century Garden: Brochures, planning, and correspondence. |
1959-1975 |
| OV1 | 5 | 18th Century Garden: Seated area, and sundial sketch. |
Undated |
| 5 | 6 | Landscape Design for Echo Hill |
Undated |
| 5 | 7 | Skillings Path: Correspondence and planning. |
1969-1970 |
| 5 | 8 | Trees of Amherst Site Location Index (1 of 3) |
1973 |
| 5 | 9 | Trees of Amherst Site Location Index (2 of 3) |
1973 |
| 5 | 10 | Trees of Amherst Site Location Index (3 of 3) |
1973 |
| 5 | 11 | Alice Low Blair Memorial Garden |
1978 |
| 5 | 12 |
Police Department Landscaping: Facility blue prints key, 10/1990 Denise Gagnon, Kuhn Riddle Architects. |
1990 |
| 5 | 13 |
Amherst Junior High School Arboretum: Sketches and correspondence. |
1994 |
| 5 | 14 |
Hillside Chancellors House: Plant materials and garden design. |
1995 |
| 6 | 1 | Cooks Garden: Newspaper article. |
2006 |
| Map Case | Project Blue Prints: 18th Century Garden, Amherst Police Department, Alice Low Blair Memorial Garden |
1960, 1965, 1978 1989 |
|
| 6 | 2 | Trees of Amherst 1959, published book. |
1959 |
| 6 | 3 |
Trees of Amherst (1959), Accounts, Notes, Reports and Correspondence: |
1892, 1930, 1959-1966 |
| 6 | 4 |
Trees of Amherst 1975, published book. |
1975 |
| 6 | 5 |
Trees of Amherst (1975), Accounts, Notes, Reports and Correspondence: |
1972-1976, undated |
| 6 |
6 |
Trees of Amherst (1975), Barbara Handley (2003, 2009-2010) |
2003, 2009-2010 |
| OV1 | 6 | Trees of Amherst (1975), Barbara Handley (2003, 2009-2010): Trees in Amherst flyers. |
2009 |
| 6 | 7 |
100th Anniversary: |
2014-2016 |
| 6 | 8 | 101st Year: 101st year acknowledgement and new member welcome letter, a History of the Garden Club Celebrating 100 years of Growing 1915-2015, 2015 garden tours brochures, and 2016 club program. |
2015-2016 |
| Stored in Stone Room | Centennial Exhibit: Oversized display boards for library exhibit during 100 year anniversary. |
2015 |
Series 3: Photographs and Slides
| Box | Folder | Title/Description | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 9 | Photos of Red Cross Garden Party, and Receipted Bills: Photographs and paper slips. |
1917, 1927 |
| 6 | 10 | Photos Regarding Amherst Junior High Arboretum: Color photographs. |
1994 |
| 6 | 11 | Grout Hill, NH, Summer 1997; Color photographs. |
1997 |
| 6 | 12 | Restoration of the 18th Century Garden: Slides. |
1963-1972 |
| 7 | 1 | Gardening for Fun: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1963-1970 |
| 7 | 2 | Members' Homes and Gardens, Culture Method 1960s: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1962-1973 |
| 7 | 3 | Woodstock, VT; Terrace; Mexico: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1966-1970 |
| 7 | 4 | Annual Meeting: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1973 |
| 7 | 5 | Plant Sale, Luncheon and Annual Meeting Slides 1974: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1974 |
| 7 | 6 | Plant Sale, Party, Member Gardens, and Annual Meeting: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1974-1977 |
| 7 | 7 | Annual Meeting, Garden Plants, Members: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1975-1976 |
| 7 | 8 | Assorted Slides 1981-1991, Toni Prince's Garden 1994, French House and Plant Sale 1986: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1981-1991, 1994 |
| 7 | 9 | Annual Meeting, Plant Sale: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1990-1991 |
| 7 | 10 | Garden Club Program, Feb. 24 1993, Mary Maki Retrospective, Peggy Gage, Gretchen Allen: Slides, 5x4 slide pages. |
1993 |
| 7 | 11 | Assorted Slides |
1961-2004 |
| 7 | 12 | Assorted Slides |
1964-1965 |
| 7 | 13 | Assorted Slides |
1966 |
| 7 | 14 | Assorted Slides |
1971-1972 |
| 7 | 15 | Assorted Slides |
1973 |
| 7 | 16 | Assorted Slides | 1974 |
| 7 | 17 | Assorted Slides | 1976-1977 |
| 7 | 18 | Assorted Slides |
1978 |
| 8 | 1 | Assorted Slides |
1979 |
| 8 | 2 | Assorted Slides |
1980 |
| 8 | 3 | Assorted Slides |
1981 |
| 8 | 4 | Assorted Slides |
1982-1984 |
| 8 | 5 | Assorted Slides |
1984 |
| 8 | 6 | Assorted Slides |
1985 |
| 8 | 7 | Assorted Slides |
1986 |
| 8 | 8 | Assorted Slides |
1986-1987 |
| 8 | 9 | Assorted Slides |
1987 |
| 8 | 10 | Assorted Slides |
1988 |
| 9 | 1 | Assorted Slides |
1989 |
| 9 | 2 | Assorted Slides |
1990 |
| 9 | 3 | Assorted Slides (1 of 2) |
1992 |
| 9 | 4 | Assorted Slides (2 of 2) |
1992 |
| 9 | 5 | Assorted Slides |
1973, 1988, 1993 |
| 9 | 6 | Assorted Slides |
1993 |
| 9 | 7 | Assorted Slides: Annual Meeting October 1994. |
1994 |
| 9 | 8 | Assorted Slides (1 of 2) |
1994 |
| 9 | 9 | Assorted Slides (2 of 2) |
1994 |
| 9 | 10 | Assorted Slides | 1995 |
| 9 | 11 | Assorted Slides (1 of 2) |
1996 |
| 9 | 12 | Assorted Slides (2 of 2) |
1996 |
| 9 | 13 | Assorted Slides |
1997 |
| 10 | 1 | Assorted Slides |
1998 |
| 10 | 2 | Assorted Slides |
1999 |
| 10 | 3 | Assorted Slides |
2002 |
| 10 | 4 | Assorted Slides |
2003 |
| 10 | 5 | Assorted Slides |
2004-2005 |