Overview of Collection
Garden Club of Morristown
HM51 MSS Gard
Garden Club of Morristown Records
1913-2005 [bulk 1970-2003]
10 linear feet in 15 manuscript boxes and 8 oversized boxes
History of the Garden Club of Morristown
In the spring of 1913, Mrs. Gustav Kessel brought together a small group of enthusiastic ladies to create the Garden Club of Morristown. She was inspired by the very active Garden Club of Philadelphia. Officers were elected, and in 1915, by-laws were drawn up. In the early years, the meetings were social gatherings with a lecture and an elaborate tea. Most of the members had their own gardeners. The Club joined the Garden Club of America in 1917, and revised their by-laws in accordance with the parent organization. The Club objectives grew to encompass conservation and preservation of native wild flowers, civics, roadside planting and billboards. The information for this history was taken from the collection itself. The club continues to be active in local projects and fund raising events to the present day.
Scope and Content of the Records
The Garden Club of Morristown Records spans the years 1913-2005. The bulk of the material dates from 1970-2003. The records consist of minutes of the executive committee and member meetings, annual reports, budgets and treasurer's reports, awards and medals, scrapbooks, membership lists, newspaper clippings and club bulletins.
For related material and further information, please see:
Garden Club of Morristown, 1913-1963. Halsted, Marie L.G., and Mrs. Henry M. Larson, compilers: New Vernon Business Service, not dated. North Jersey History Center Call Number: HM51 Gard Hal
Rhododendrons. Macy, Maisie; Josephine Keyes; Cynthia Fisk and Nancy Johnston, compilers, not dated. North Jersey History Center Call Number: HM51 Gard Rho
Note: these titles are also available in this collection of records.
Arrangement of the Records
The five series arrangement of the records was based on the original processing arrangement. Series titles were added in order to facilitate navigation of the finding aid contents. The majority of file folder numbering remains the same.
Series I: History and Administration, 1913-2001; not dated.
The historical and administrative folders of this series contain the Constitution and By-Laws, historical manuscripts, and booklets of the 50th and 75th anniversaries of the Garden Club. In this series there are also key documents outlining the group's long term goals.
Series II: Local, National and Regional activity, 1930-2001; not dated.
This series focuses on the various activities in which the Garden Club of Morristown has historically participated, and continues to participate in today. These activities include plant sales, benefit auctions and fund raisers. Various types of local and regional meetings associated with certain activities, as well as garden projects and awards, are represented.
The folders of this series have been divided into three sub-series: A. Annual Meetings, Zone meetings and Garden Club of America meetings; B. Auctions and Awards, and C. Projects and Project notebooks. Box 6 of this series contains restricted material. Permission from the archivist or department director is necessary to view this file box.
Series III: Office files and Bulletins, 1927-2005; not dated.
Documents found in this series include newspaper clippings, member information, some financial records and monthly bulletins published by the members.
Series IV: Meeting minutes, 1932-2005.
Two types of meeting minutes are represented in this series: those minutes of the executive committee meetings and those of the member meetings.
Series V: Scrapbooks, Photographic material and ephemera, 1930-1999; not dated [1970-1995].
This series contains scrapbooks documenting the projects, auctions, plant sales, fund raisers and anniversary celebrations the Garden Club of Morristown has been involved with over the years. Contents of the scrapbooks include photographs, certificates, programs, awards, correspondence, invitations, tickets and newspaper clippings.
Important Information for Users of the Records
The bulk of the records are open for research without restriction under the conditions of the North Jersey History Center archives access policy. Box 6 is restricted and is open only to the Officers of the Garden Club. Unrestricted records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the History Center, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Material in the Garden Club of Morristown Records may be photocopied, but because this material is a permanent part of the History Center's collections, researchers are advised to photocopy with care, using only the edge copier for bound material.
Acquisition Information
The bulk of the material for the collection was given to the North Jersey History Center on March 21, 2000 by Virginia Pierson, representative of the Garden Club of Morristown. Additional materials for this collection are accessioned over time.
Preferred Citation
Garden Club of Morristown Records, 1913-2005 [bulk 1970-2003]. North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Marilyn Stearns, Archivist intern, 2003.
Finding Aid revised and encoded by Mary McMahon Dawson, Archivist, 2007.
Container List
Series I: History and
Administration, 1913-2001; not dated.
1 1
Receipt of Donation, Finding Aid and Archive Information, 1999-2000.
1 2
Constitution and By-laws, 1915-1994; 2001, not dated.
1 3
History; booklets and manuscript, 1913-1996; not dated.
1 4
75th Anniversary Chronicle Winds of Change, compiled by Diana Morgan Olcott, May 1988.
1 5
50th Anniversary Booklets, 1963.
1 6
Horticulture committee and correspondence: Rhododendrons, New Jersey Endangered Plant Species - Zone IV, Plant Exchange, 1986-2000.
1 7
Long Range Planning, 1974-1984.
1 8
Orientation course, 1991-1992; 1995.
1 9
Fund Raising: Plant sales, Luncheon auctions, garden tours,Historical tour, Christmas Fund Raiser, Garden Parties, Postcard, Dinner and Auctions and Auction pictures, 1960-1993, not dated.
1 10
Annual Luncheon notebook, June 1973-June 1976.
1 11
Ideas for book for Garden Club, 1992.
1 12
Plant Sale 2000: An Organizer's Guide, 2000.
Series II: Local, regional and national activity, 1930-2001; not dated.
Subseries A: Annual meetings and Zone meetings, 1963-2000; not dated.
2 1
Annual Meetings hosted by Zone IV; Skylands, New Jersey State Botanical Garden, 1987, 1999.
2 2
Annual Meeting and Flower Show, Zone IV, June 1-2, 2000.
2 3
Zone Meetings hosted by the Garden Club of Morristown, 1963; not dated.
2 4
Zone Meetings hosted by the Garden Club of Morristown, 1978; 1988.
2 5
Garden Club of America: History, Annual Meeting Handbook, 1999.
2 6
Garden Club of America books: Winds of Change, 1963-1988, compiled by Diana Morgan Olcott for the 75th Anniversary of the Garden Club of America. The Garden Club of America Bulletin, to commemorate the nation's bicentennial, vol. 64, no. 2, July 1976.
2 7
Newspaper clipping: Legislation Conservation Conference (Washington, DC), 1997.
2 8
Candidate evaluation form for Garden Club of America judge, not dated.
Subseries B:
Auctions, 1977-1998; not dated.
2 9
Auctions, 1977; 1983; 1988-1989.
2 10
Auction, 1990.
2 11
Auction: Pandora's Box, 1996.
2 12
Auction Report, 1996.
2 13
Auction/Bid cards, not dated.
3 1
Auction bid cards, not dated.
3 2
Auction bid cards, not dated.
Subseries C: Projects and Awards, 1952-2002; not dated.
3 3
Zone IV Awards and Club Achievement Awards, 1952-1995; not dated.
3 4
Founders Fund Proposal for Morven Gardens Restoration and Proposed Planting Plans, Wildlife Observation Tower, The Great Swamp, 1986; 1961-1965.
3 5
Founders Fund Award and Morven Gardens Restoration, 1985-1986; 1985-1987.
3 6
The Garden Club of New Jersey: award, membership certificate, correspondence and The Green Crusade: history of the Garden Club of New Jersey, 1965.
3 7
Award: First Place for Summer Foliage Window Box, The New York Flower Show, from the Horticultural Society of New York. Architectural Drawing of layout of booth for New York Garden Show, 1965.
3 8
Awards for Exhibits of Six Plants worthy of recognition from the Garden Club of America Horticulture Committee, 1991; 1997; 1998.
3 9
Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award, 1996.
3 10
Founder's Fund Projects and Awards, 2001.
3 11
Nominations for various Garden Club of America certificates and awards, 2002.
3 12
Proposed nominees for Zone IV Awards, 2002.
4 1
Projects A-F: Anti-Litter; Center for Plant Conservation and The Garden Club of America; The Cross Estate Gardens; Florham-Madison Italian Garden; Fosterfields, 1967-1995.
4 2
Projects G-P: Greystone; Historic Speedwell; Morristown Green Restoration; Morris Street Site Beautification; Morristown Memorial Hospital; Mt. Kemble House; Nature Consrvancy; Neighborhood House; New Jersey Road Council; Plant-a-Tree in Morristown, 1948-1995.
4 3
Projects R-Z: Richmond Fellowship; Save-the-Redwoods League; Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuaries; Student Conservation Association; Washington's Headquarters, 1980-1994.
4 4
The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 1961-1967; 1992.
4 5
Project: Macculloch Hall Garden restoration and maintenance: Landscape plan (1960); Grading Plan; Annual Reports for Garden; The Nature of Garden Design , 2/14-7/25, 1999; Article from Daily Record, 7/3/99, 1954-1999.
4 6
The New Jersey Committee of the Garden Club of America, 1988-1995.
4 7
North Jersey Science Fair (Garden Club of America Water Study Project), 1984-1994.
4 8
Project: The Frelinghuysen Arboretum: Contributions and donations to various Morris County Park Commission projects, 1975-1993.
4 9
Project: Tent Caterpillar Press Release, 1926-1936.
4 10
Project: Willowwood Arboretum; Layout of Cottage Garden, 1981-1994.
5 1
Wildflower Garden: Macculloch Hall, 1960: 1995.
5 2
Unidentified garden, 1987.
5 3
Notebook: Macculloch Hall, 1960-1982.
5 4
Notebook: Macculloch Hall, 1987.
5 5
Notebook: Macculloch Hall, 1982-1997.
Series III: Programs and office files, 1927-2007; not dated.
6 1
Programs; Officers and members, 1927-1971; 1929-1971. RESTRICTED
6 2
Officers and members, 1929-1971. RESTRICTED
6 3
Membership List, includes president and treasurer, 1978-1979. RESTRICTED
6 4
Officers, members and programs, 1983; 1987-1999. RESTRICTED
6 5
Officers, members and programs, 2000-2005. RESTRICTED
6 6
Garden Club of America booklets: Visiting Gardens Guide, 1967; New Jersey 74th Annual Meeting, 1987. RESTRICTED
7 1
Insurance, 1984-1989.
7 2
Raffle licence, 1993.
7 3
Ledger of receipts and expenses, 1927-1933.
7 4
Budgets, Treasurer's reports and Financial reports, 1952-1979.
7 5
Budgets, Treasurer's reports and Annual reports, 1979-1990.
7 6
Budgets and Treasurer's reports, 1990-1994.
7 7
Budgets and Treasurer's reports, 1999-2000; 2003-2004; 2004-2005.
7 8
Annual reports, 2001-2004.
8 1
Corresponding secretary's reports, 2001-2002.
8 2
Committee Annual reports, 2002-2005.
8 3
Articles by members for Garden Club talks, 1977-1981, not dated.
8 4
Newspaper clippings and articles about members, 1988-2003.
8 5
Tributes to past members, 1948-2005; not dated. [1 of 2]
8 6
Tributes to past members, 1948-2005; not dated. [2 of 2]
9 1
Bulletins: January 1957-Fall 1975.
9 2
Bulletins: Winter 1975-Winter 1990.
9 3
Bulletins: September 1992-June 1995.
9 4
Bulletins, 1996.
9 5
Bulletins: The Grapevine, September 1999-May 2002.
9 6
Bulletins: The Grapevine, September 2002-September 2003.
9 7
Bulletins: The Grapevine, September 2003-September 2005.
Series IV: Meeting minutes, 1932-2007.
10 1
Minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings, 1932-1933.
10 2
Minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings, February 1938-June 1959; October 1959-May 1966.
10 3
Minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings, June 1966-June 1972; September 1972-June 1980.
10 4
Minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings, September 1980-May 1984; September 1981-June 1983; September 1983-June 1987.
11 1
Minutes and Motions of the Executive Committee Meetings, September 1984-May 1988; September 1988-May 1990.
11 2
Minutes and Motions of the Executive Committee Meetings, November 1989-May 1996.
11 3
Minutes and Motions of the Executive Committee Meetings, September 1996-May 1999.
11 4
Minutes and Motions of the Executive Committee Meetings, January 2000-May 2002.
11 5
Board Meeting Minutes, September 2002-May 2004.
12 1
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1916-1920.
12 2
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1920-1923.
12 3
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1924-1925.
1 4
Minutes of Members Meetings, May 1988.
1 5
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1963.
1 6
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1986-2000.
1 7
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1974-1984.
1 8
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1991-1992; 1995.
1 9
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1960-1993, not dated.
1 10
Minutes of Members Meetings, June 1973-June 1976.
1 11
Minutes of Members Meetings, 1992.
1 12
Minutes of Members Meetings, 2000.
13 1
Minutes of members meetings, 1945-1947.
13 2
Minutes of members meetings, 1948-1950.
13 3
Minutes of members meetings, 1951-1953.
13 4
Minutes of members meetings, 1954-1956
13 5
Minutes of members meetings, 1957-1958.
13 6
Minutes of members meetings, 1959-1962.
13 7
Minutes of members meetings, 1963-1964.
13 8
Minutes of members meetings, 1964-1966.
14 1
Minutes of members meetings, 1966-1970.
14 2
Minutes of members meetings, September 1970-June 1975.
14 3
Minutes of members meetings, September 1975-June 1980.
14 4
Minutes of members meetings, September 1980-June 1984.
14 5
Minutes of members meetings, September 1984-June 1989
14 6
Minutes of members meetings, September 1989-June 1995
14 7
Minutes of members meetings, September 1995-June 1997.
15 1
Minutes of members meetings, September 1997-June 1999.
15 2
Minutes of members meetings, September 1999-June 2001.
15 3
Minutes of members meetings, September 2001-June 2003.
15 4
Membership meeting minutes, September 2003-May 2004.
Series V: Scrapbooks, Photographic materials and ephemera, 1930-1999, not dated [bulk 1970-1995].
16
Award medals (4 items), 1930; 1937; 1952; 1978.
17
Scrapbooks (2 items), 1913-1944; 1948-1955.
18
Scrapbooks and photograph (4 items), 1955-1961; 1964; 1963-1975.
19
Scrapbooks (2 items), 1975-1979; 1979-1982.
20
Scrapbooks (1 item), 1982-1986.
21
Scrapbooks (2 items), 1987; 1988.
22
Scrapbooks (1 item), 1986-1992.
23
Scrapbooks (1 item), 1992-1995.