Winchester Council of Garden Clubs Records

637 THL

Inventory created by Archives Staff 03/1998. Last revised 06/2020.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Collection is open to all researchers.

USE RESTRICTIONS: Restrictions may apply concerning the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult a member of the archives staff for information concerning these restrictions. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright.

EXTENT: 0.42 linear feet; 7 volumes (scrapbooks)

DATE: 1948 -1993

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The Winchester Council of Garden Clubs Records collection contains newspaper clippings, minutes, and related papers concerning the activities of Winchester area garden clubs from 1954 to 1993. The collection also includes a scrapbook of flower shows.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL: Garden clubs in the United States trace their origin to the early nineteenth century when groups of women joined together to share an interest in horticulture and botany. These groups often held flower shows to demonstrate their skill as gardeners. As these organizations grew over the course of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries they also began to take an active interest in the preservation of historic gardens and other projects to preserve and beautify natural landscapes.

The Winchester-Frederick County area had several garden clubs, and five of these began holding joint flower shows by the mid-1900s. By 1952, these groups had formed a Federation of Garden Clubs and were active in a number of projects including the improvement of the gardens at Abram’s Delight.

CITE AS: Winchester Council of Garden Clubs Records, 637 THL, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA.

ACQUISITION INFORMATION: Acquired as a gift

ORGANIZATION:

BOX 1

Minutes and related papers for the following years:

1948-1959, 14 leaves, typescript; 34 leaves, manuscript; 1 page, printed

1960-1962, 19 leaves, typescript; 4 leaves, typescript (copy); 20 leaves, manuscript; 1 page, printed

1963-1969, 36 leaves, typescript; 40 leaves, typescript (copy); 19 leaves, manuscript; 3 pages, printed

1970-1974, 30 leaves, typescript; 62 leaves, typescript (copy); 7 leaves, manuscript; 4 pages, printed

1975-1979, 29 leaves, typescript; 61 leaves, typescript (copy); 18 leaves, manuscript; 17 pages, printed

1980-1985, 45 leaves, typescript; 28 leaves, typescript (copy); 11 leaves, manuscript; 10 pages, printed; 1 leaf, printed (photocopy)

1986-1989, 16 leaves, typescript; 4 leaves, manuscript; 1 page, printed

1990-    , 11 leaves, typescript; 3 leaves, typescript (copy); 4 pages, printed

Undated, 3 leaves, typescript; 18 leaves, typescript (copy); 1 leaf, manuscript; 5 leaves, printed

1952 – Homes and Gardens Tour – First Winchester Council, binder (unnumbered pages; inserts), printed

BOX 2

Winchester Council scrapbook, 1969-1977, 1 volume

Scrapbooks of flower shows, 6 volumes, for the following years: