Table of Contents


Collection Overview

Historical Sketch

Scope and Content

Restrictions

Subject Headings

Administrative Information

Contents:

I. Basic Organizational Records

II. Projects and Awards

III. Garden Club of Hartford Publications

IV. Photographic Material

V. Clippings and Scrapbooks

VI. Questionaires and Answers

VII. Miscellaneous

VIII. Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut

IX. Garden Club of America

X. Miscellaneous Bodies

Garden Club of Hartford records

A Guide to the collection at the Connecticut Historical Society



Collection Overview

Repository: Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut
Creator : Garden Club of Hartford
Title : Garden Club of Hartford records
Dates : 1916-
Extent : 8.5 linear feet (32 boxes)
Location: Ms 86915
Language: English

Historical Sketch

The Garden Club of Hartford was founded on March 16, 1916 by eight women: Mrs. James P. Andrews, Miss Frances Beach, Mrs. John H. Buck, Mrs. Albert S. Cook, Miss Bertha Dennis, Mrs. Robert W. Gray, Mrs. Robert W. Huntington, and Mrs. Samuel O. Prentice. Mrs. Prentice was the first President and Mrs. Gray the first Secretary and Treasurer. The initiation fee was $2.00 and dues were $1.00. In 1920 the Garden Club of America (founded 1913) admitted the Hartford club as a member.

The Garden Club of Hartford has been active in the community in civic projects since it’s founding. They have contributed their time and have raised money to effect their goals of beautification, conservation, promotion of gardening, and scholarships and fellowships. Funds have been raised by plant sales, flea markets, auctions, dances, and publications. The Old State House has been their largest project. The restoration of the Sunken Garden at Hill-Stead Museum was completed in 1988.

The Club has grown from eight original members to 62 active members in 1988, with 29 members in other categories. Meetings are still held at members houses as originally conceived, as well as at arboretums and other places of interest to learn about such things as plant propagation, pest control, pruning, etc. Members visit fellow members’ gardens, enter and attend flower shows, and keep active in the community.

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Scope and Content

The records are arranged in ten series. Series I consists of organizational records including articles of incorporation, tax exempt certificates, and minutes of meetings. Series II contains records of projects and awards. These include civic projects, flower shows, etc. The Club’s publications are organized in Series III while photographs can be found in Series IV. In consecutive order, the final series contain clippings and scrapbooks; questionnaires and answers; miscellaneous materials; records and publications of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut; records and publications of the Garden Club of America; and notices, circulars and other published materials from assorted gardening organizations.

The arrangement is chronological. The minutes in Series I contain supplemental material relating to the year’s activities, including correspondence, financial statements, and issues of the Trumpet Vine. The Club continues to add to this collection as they purge inactive files. Additions are added in new boxes after the last numbered box. No attempt is made to integrate new materials into those already processed. However, the new materials are organized into the same Series and are arranged chronologically.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Use Restrictions

Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's Research Center regulations.

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Subject Headings

Subjects

Gardening -- Societies, etc.
Women -- Societies and clubs.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut.

Processing Details

Collection was initially processed by Barbara H. Newell in 1988. Additional processing by Barbara E. Austen.

EAD Finding Aid created August 2012.

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Contents:

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I. Basic Organizational Records

Box Folder
1 A1 Constitution and by-laws
1 A2 Admission and project policy, guidelines for Executive Committee members
1 A3 Tax Exempt number, Certificate of Incorporation Information
1 B1 Minutes, 1916
1 B2 Minutes, 1917
1 B3 Minutes, 1918
1 B4 Minutes, 1919
1 B5 Minutes, 1920
1 B6 Minutes, 1921
1 B7 Minutes, 1922
1 B8 Minutes, 1923
1 B9 Minutes, 1924
1 B10 Minutes, 1925
1 B11 Minutes, 1926
1 B12 Minutes, 1927
1 B13 Minutes, 1927-1928
1 B14 Minutes, 1928-1929
1 B15 Minutes, 1929-1930
1 B16 Minutes, 1930-1931
1 B17 Minutes, 1931-1932
1 B18 Minutes, 1932-1933
1 B19 Minutes, 1933-1934
1 B20 Minutes, 1935
1 B21 Minutes, 1936
1 B22 Minutes, 1937
1 B23 Minutes, 1938
1 B24 Minutes, 1938-1939
Box Folder
2 B25 Minutes, 1939-1940
2 B26 Minutes, 1940-1941
2 B27 Minutes, 1941-1942
2 B28 Minutes, 1942-1943
2 B29 Minutes, 1943-1944
2 B30 Minutes, 1944-1945
2 B31 Minutes, 1945-1946
2 B32 Minutes, 1946-1947
2 B33 Minutes, 1947-1948
2 B34 Minutes, 1948-1949
2 B35 Minutes, 1949-1950
2 B36 Minutes, 1950-1951
2 B37 Minutes, 1951-1952
2 B38 Minutes, 1952-1953
2 B39 Minutes, 1953-1954
2 B40 Minutes, 1954-1955
2 B41 Minutes, 1955-1956
2 B42 Minutes, 1956-1957
Box Folder
3 B43 Minutes, 1957-1958
3 B44 Minutes, 1958-1959
3 B45 Minutes, 1959-1960
3 B46 Minutes, 1960-1961
3 B47 Minutes, 1961-1962
3 B48 Minutes, 1962-1963
3 B49 Minutes, 1963-1964
3 B50 Minutes, 1964-1965
3 B51 Minutes, 1965-1966
3 B52 Minutes, 1966-1967
Box Folder
4 B53 Minutes, 1967-1968
4 B54 Minutes, 1968-1969
4 B55 Minutes, 1969-1970
4 B56 Minutes, 1970-1971
4 B57 Minutes, 1971-1972
(Trumpet Vine begins)
4 B58 Minutes, 1972-1973
4 B59 Minutes, 1973-1974
4 B60 Minutes, 1974-1975
Box Folder
5 B61 Minutes, 1975-1976
5 B62 Minutes, 1976-1977
5 B63 Minutes, 1977-1978
5 B64 Minutes, 1978-1979
5 B65 Minutes, 1979-1980
5 B66 Minutes, 1980-1981
Box Folder
6 B67 Minutes, 1981-1982
6 B68 Minutes, 1982-1983
6 B69 Minutes, 1983-1984
6 B70 Minutes, 1984-1985
6 B71 Minutes, 1985-1986
6 B72 Minutes, 1987-1988
6 C Financial statements 1959-1964
6 D Trumpet Vine, 1979-1986
6 E Annual Reports of Custodians, 1973-1986
6 F English Garden Pilgrimage, 1929
6 G Miscellaneous correspondence including Tributes, 1954-1977
6 H Histories and Reviews, 1939
6 I 25th Anniversary, 1941
6 J 50th Anniversary, 1966
6 K 50th Anniversary celebration, 1966
6 L History, 1972
6 M History, 1963-1985
6 N Committee Assignments of Members, 1916-1975
6 O Review, 1988
6 P History of Pewter Bowl Award, 1953
Box Folder
18 1 Tax exemptions, 1965-1967, 1990; copy of certificate of incorporation, 1965.
18 2 President or secretary’s notebook, 1981-1982. Includes committee reports, newsletter the Trumpet Vine, and correspondence from other gardening organizations. In reverse chronological order.
18 3 President’s or Secretary’s notebook, 1986-1988. Includes minutes of Executive Committee meetings, reports, newsletter the Trumpet Vine, minutes of annual meetings.
18 4 Notice of Long-range Planning meeting, 1990
18 5 President’s or Secretary’s file, 1996-1997. Includes photographs.
18 6 Minutes, 1996-1998
Box Folder
21 1 Recording Secretary’s notebook, May 1988-May 1992
21 2 Recording Secretary’s notebook, May 1992-May 1994
21 3 Nina Stanley bequest, 1990
21 4 Committee descriptions, 1991
21 5 New member handbook, 1994
21 6 Member information and obituaries, 1994-2004
21 7 Minutes, 1994-2004
21 8 Annual reports, 1996-1998
21 9 Historian and Scholarship Committee reports, 1996, n.d.
Box Folder
23 7 Minutes of meetings, September 1994-May 1996
23 8 Secretary’s notebook, September 1996-May 1998.
23 9 Secretary’s notebook, 1998-2001.
Box Folder
24 1 Minutes, 2003-2005
24 2 Member’s handbook, 1997
24 3 Biographical information about Virginia Miller
24 4 Press releases, clippings, 1975, 1981-1990
24 5 Assorted historical materials
Box Folder
27 1 Secretary’s notebook, 2002-2004
27 2 Secretary’s notebook, 2005-2006
27 3 Minutes, 2006-2008
27 4 Annual reports, 1960, 1993-2006
27 5 Annual reports, 2001-2004
27 6 Annual reports, 2006-2007
27 7 Annual reports, 2007-2008
27 8 Membership information
Box Folder
30 1 Board minutes, 2008-April 2012
30 2 Regular meeting minutes, May 2008-April 2012
30 3 Annual report, 2009-2010
30 4 Annual report, 2010-2011
30 5 Annual report, 2011-2012
30 6 Historian's notebook, 2001-2010
30 7 Information on deceased members, 2007-2012
30 8 Correspondence relating to "Much Ado About Gardening"

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II. Projects and Awards

Box Folder
7 A Trinity College, 1938
7 B Projects, 1958-1965
(see two sketches for planters on Main Street in Oversize Box)
7 C Hartford College for Women, 1960
7 D Old State House, 1960
7 E Wadsworth Atheneum, 1965
(three sketches in Oversize Box)
7 F Children's Museum, 1968
7 G Mark Twain House, 1969
7 H Burgdorf Health Center, 1970-1972
7 I Conservation New Letter, 1975
7 J Old State House, 1978
7 K Old State House Agreement, Rededication, Clippings, Award Proposal (1978), Award
7 L Old State House Gala and Auction, 1978
7 M Old State House Raffle
7 N Founders Fund Award Proposal for Old State House
7 O Award Proposals 1981-1983, Misc Awards
7 P Bushnell Park, 1984
7 Q Hill-Stead Garden Market and Gala, 1986
Box Folder
18 7 Civic Projects, 1972-1989. Committee records, budget, correspondence, newspaper clippings
18 8 Medal from Garden Club of America, 1981
Box Folder
19 1 Civic Project, Hartford College for Women, 1982-1984
19 2 Bushnell Park restoration project, 1984
19 3 Hill-Stead Sunken Garden project, 1985-1988
19 4 Information and slides of Butler McCook garden, 1987
19 5 Information and slides of Elizabeth Park, 1987
19 6 Nature’s Palette flower show, 1991
19 7 Civic Projects, 1992-1994
19 8 Civic Projects, 1994-1996
19 9 Children’s Medical Center project, 1996
19 10 Jubilee House, 1997-1998
Box Folder
21 1 Hill-Stead Garden Market and Sunken Garden Project, 1986
21 2 Legislative workshop audiotape, 1987
21 3 Nature’s Palette flower show, 1991
21 4 Historic Preservation Award, from Garden Club of America 1992
(oversize)
21 5 Knox Park Foundation Greenhouse Project, 1992-1993
Box Folder
22 1 Community Garden Project, 1992-1994
22 2 Christmas Auction at Kitty Smiths, Farmington, 1995
(photographs)
22 3 80th Anniversary celebration, 1996
22 4 Mary Hooker School Project, ca. 1996
(photographs)
22 5 Arbor Day, 2000
(photographs)
22 6 Programs, 2000, 2003
22 7 Corning Fountain Project, Bushnell Park, 2001-2002
22 8 Pope Park 1000 Daffodils Project, 2002
(photographs)
22 9 Report on Pope Park Project, 2003
Box Folder
28 1 Program booklets, 2004-2008
28 2 Program flyers, 1996, 2005-2008
28 3 90th Birthday minutes, 2005-2006
28 4 90th Birthday final report, 2006
28 5 Fishers Island excursion, 2006
28 6 Arbor Day, 2006
Box Folder
29 1 90th Birthday committee minutes, 2006
29 2 80th Birthday, 1996
29 3 President’s report, 2006
29 4 Minutes, 1992-2006
29 5 Executive Board minutes, 1998-2006
29 6 Secretary’s duties, undated
29 7 Civic project report update, 2005-2006
29 8 Bushnell Park civic project, 2003
29 9 Awards, 1981, 2000
29 10 Flower show, 1991
29 11 Old State House civic project, 1980
29 12 Perennial fund, 1997
29 13 South Green/Barnard Park civic project, 2005-2006
29 14 Pope Park civic project
29 15 Members
29 16 Membership—Corresponding Secretary reports, 1978-2002
29 17 Membership—attendance records
29 18 Membership records
29 19 Publicity
29 20 Name placards, invitation, napkins, favor, 2006
29 21 Publicity, toast made at party, 2006
Box Folder
30 9 Knox Park, 1990-1995
30 10 80th Anniversary booklet and celebration, 1996
30 11 Bushnell Park/Corning Fountain, 2001
30 12 Corning Fountain, 2002-2003
30 13 Christmas auction, 2002
30 14 90th Anniversary booklet
30 15 GCH Garden History and Design Committee submission to the Archives of American Gardens, Smithsonian
30 16 Awards, 2008, 2011
30 17 Holiday auction, 2009, 2011
30 18 Stowe Center rose garden, 2010, and undated

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III. Garden Club of Hartford Publications

Box Folder
8 A-L Garden Tips, 1967
(became "Much Ado About Gardening")
Box Folder
9 M Garden Tips
9 N Garden Tips
9 O Correspondence relating to "Much Ado About Gardening," 1970-1971
9 P Much Ado About Gardening, 1967
9 Q Highways and Byways, 1928
9 R Christmas Concoctions, 1975
9 S Recipes
9 T Articles for Garden Club of America Bulletin, 1975-1976
9 U Articles printed in Garden Club of America Bulletin
Box Folder
18 11 Trumpet Vine, September 1990-December 1992
18 12 “Custodian’s” file. Trumpet Vine, June,1989-June 1990; newspaper stories, 1961, 1988-1989; photographs, 1989
18 13 Trumpet Vine, 1993-1995
18 14 Trumpet Vine, 1996-1999
Box Folder
22 10-12 Annual brochure/program, 1974-2004
22 13 Trumpet Vine newsletter, January 2000-January 2005
22 14 Newspaper clippings, 1993-2002
Box Folder
23 5 Trumpet Vine reports, correspondence and mock-ups, 1987-2002
23 6 Tribute to Deb Eddy, 2004
Box Folder
24 6 Trumpet Vine, 2004-2005
Box Folder
28 7 Trumpet Vine, 2005-2008
Box Folder
31 1 Trumpet Vine, 2008, 2020-2012
31 2 Program booklets, 2008-2012
31 3 2011 Cookbook

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IV. Photographic Material

Box Folder
10 A Snapshots, 1953-1969
10 B Snapshots, 1970-1976
10 C Snapshots, 1977-1982
10 D Snapshots, 1982-1986
10 E Garden Club of Hartford photo 1985, Garden Club of America in Newport, RI in 1923, misc.
10 F Slides, 1967
Box Folder
11 G Slide box
Box Folder
19 15 Black and white slide for lecture (?), n.d.
Box Folder
22 15 Possibly members on a garden tour and members repotting plants in someone’s backyard, no date
22 16 Greens Workshop, Hill-Stead Museum, December 1997
22 17 Meeting at Deb Eddy’s, 1997
22 18 Visiting gardens, August 2001. Gardens of Joan Brown, Noank; Sandy Fromson, Stonington; and Gay Wagner, Hampton
22 19 Corning Fountain, Bushnell Park, Spring 2003
22 20 Garden Stroll, Betty Stanley’s house, Canton, September 2004
Box Folder
24 7 Flower show, Gwen Izard’s house, 1999
24 8 Flower show, 2000
24 9 Zone meeting, 2000
24 10 2004 activities
24 11 2004 workshops
24 12 Jubilee House plantings, n.d.
Box Folder
28 8 80th Birthday celebration, 1997
28 9 90th Birthday and other 2006 events
28 10 CDs with photographic images
Box Folder
31 4 Photographs, ca. 1985-2000, 2002
31 5 90th anniversary, 2006
31 6 Various projects, 2006
Box Folder
32 1 Photographs, 2007
32 2 Photographs, 2008-2010
32 3 Photographs, undated

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V. Clippings and Scrapbooks

Box Folder
12 A Clippings
Scrapbook (Oversize), 1924-1978
Scrapbook (Oversize), 1979-1986
Box Folder
28 11 Clippings, 2006
Box Folder
32 4 Clippings, 2008-2010

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VI. Questionaires and Answers

Box Folder
12 A 1965
12 B 1969
12 C 1972
12 D 1976

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VII. Miscellaneous

Box Folder
13 A Misc. data, not dated
13 B Media in Connecticut
13 C Air Quality Standards in Connecticut
Apron from 1920s Flower Marts (Oversize)
Box Folder
20 2 Newsletter, 1981-1983
20 3 Garden guides, 1953, 1976; annual report, 1981-1982
Box Folder
22 21 Zone II meeting, May 1993
22 22 Eco-Exchange at Garden Club of America annual meeting, 1995
22 23 Zone II annual meeting, June 2000
22 24 Zone II annual meeting, 2000, photographs of boat trip
22 25 Zone II annual meeting, June 2003
Box Folder
23 1 Zone II annual meeting, June 2000, steering committee records, 2000
23 2 Zone II annual meeting, brochures, name badges, other souveniers June 2000
23 3 Zone II annual meeting, committee reports, 2000
23 4 Zone II annual meeting, June 2003
Box Folder
28 12 Centennial information, 2006
Box Folder
32 8 Brochure, and Bulletin, 2011-2012

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VIII. Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut

Box Folder
20 1 Publications, 1981-1982
Box Folder
32 5-6 Zone II meeting, 2000
32 7 Connecticut plants

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IX. Garden Club of America

Box Folder
14 A Policy and Bylaws
14 B Handbook
14 C Zoning
14 D Annual Meetings, 1924-1927
14 E Annual Reports, 1969-1981
14 F Yearbook, 1983-1984
14 G Flower Show/Judging Guide, 1953, 1954, 1961, 1963, 1970, 1978
Box Folder
15 H Flower Shows/Exhibiting, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1973
15 I Awards
15 J Activities/Histories, 1913-1938
15 K Membership in Connecticut, 1938
15 L Library
15 M Political Action
15 N Members Gardens, 1921, 1922, 1924
15 O Almanac, 1924, 1925, 1926
15 P Bulletin, 1934, 1936, 1966, 1968, 1976, 1979
15 Q Bulletin, 1978, 1980, 1981
15 R Visiting Gardens Guide, 1967

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X. Miscellaneous Bodies

Box Folder
16 A National Council of State Garden Clubs
16 B Farmington River and Watershed Guide
16 C Bartholomew's Cobble
16 D Pine Acres Forest
16 E Olive W. Lee Memorial Garden
16 F Arnold Arboretum
16 G Connecticut Arboretum
16 H New York Botanical Garden
16 I Operation Triangle, Seattle, WA
16 J Pine Acres Farm
16 K The Conservationist
16 L Quarantine Act, 1919
16 M Garden Center of Greater Cleveland Bulletin
16 N Connecticut Horticultural Society
16 O Garden Club of Evanston, IL paper
16 P Garden Club of New Haven color chart
16 Q Lennox Bicentennial Flower Show
16 R Governor of Oregon address
16 S Student Conservation Association of Charlestown, NH report
16 T Farmington Garden club Fact Finding Committee report
16 U A Primer on Air Pollution
16 V Greenwich Garden Club 50th Anniversary program
16 W Misc. materials