Findlay Garden Club records

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0275

Collection Overview

Abstract

The records of this organization consist of minutes, attendance and guest books, and scrapbooks. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public.

Dates

  • Creation: 1934-1982

Extent

1.38 Cubic Feet (3 legal archives boxes and 1 volume)

Creator

Scope and Contents

The activities of the Findlay Garden Club are recorded in detail through the minutes, which cover a period of some twenty-five years, from 1934-1962. Minutes include the date, time, and place of each meeting, club activities and program. Treasurer's reports are summarized here. The minutes are supplemented by notes of the social chair and club correspondence, dating from the 1970s. Membership can be documented in part by attendance and guest registers and occasional rosters.

An excellent source of information about club activities is the series of scrapbooks prepared from the 1960s to 1970s, documenting beautification projects and competitions sponsored by the club members. Complete garden plans, lists of plantings, newsclippings, correspondence, and photographs record each project, sometimes requiring more than one scrapbook volume to document.

There are only scattered examples of other club records in the collection. The annual Flower Show is documented from 1936-1944 through the judge's book, which records the names of members, their entries, and classification. A series of club and event programs beginning in the late 1940s, covering to the mid-1960s gives greater detail on the educational topics of meetings and on the type of public programming the club participated in. A small number of certificates, newsclippings, and photographs complete the collection.

Biographical / Historical

The Findlay Garden Club organized at its first meeting on January 17, 1934, with the goal of encouraging gardening, local beautification, and conservation. The club is a member of Region II of the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs.

From the first year, the club has been active in educational programs and community beautification projects. Beginning in 1936, the club has sponsored an annual flower show. Programs feature topics on plant and garden care. Beautification projects are selected at public sites around the city of Findlay, with the club purchasing and installing plantings at libraries, museums, and the downtown area.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The records of the Findlay Garden Club of Findlay, Ohio (1934-1982) were donated to the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, on November 30, 1982. The collection was transferred by Ann Bowers, Curator of Manuscripts, Center for Archival Collections, with the cooperation of the Findlay Garden Club, Mrs. Walter Light, President.

Processing Information

The collection was processed and the finding aid written by Lee N. McLaird, Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections in January 2007.

Title
Guide to the Findlay Garden Club records
Author
Lee N. McLaird, Madeleine Williams
Date
January 2007, December 2020
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin