A Brief History of the Village Garden Club of Sewickley
The following was written in commemoration of VGC’s 75th anniversary and is in the process of being updated in honor of our 100th anniversary.
Founded by Mrs. Franklin T. Nevin, the first organizational meeting of the The Garden Club of Sewickley Valley was held in the home of Mrs. John Joy Edson on October 11, 1927, with fourteen women attending. “It was agreed by those present to form a club of thirty members, to hold meetings on the first Tuesday of every month, with the object of arousing and stimulating an interest in gardens and gardening.”
By February of 1928, the membership expanded to forty and the change of name to Village Garden Club was unanimously approved. By June of that same year, the membership had increased to fifty. Two years later, in 1930, VGC was invited to send representatives to Philadelphia for the purpose of establishing a Federation of Garden Clubs of Pennsylvania. Two delegates, Mrs. Strickland Kneass and Miss Catharine Miller, were sent, and Miss Miller was chosen a director of the Federation for a period of three years.
In 1931, VGC was contributing to civic beauty in many directions. It furnished “landscape planning on the grounds of the new hospital building, kept the reading room of the town library supplied with fresh flowers, improved home surroundings in poorer districts and encouraged planting vegetable gardens to relieve distress of
unemployment. The Club offered seeds, fertilizer and advice. Fifty gardens were established in this 1931 enterprise.”
The following year, in collaboration with the Audubon Society, the VGC planted two elms on the High School grounds in commemoration of the Washington Bicentennial and participated in “world fellowship and international fraternity by establishing a pine grove on the hills of Palestine and by sharing in the Peace Garden on the Canadian border.”
Honored for its noteworthy achievement in organization work and civic accomplishment, VGC placed first in the State Federation’s 1938 Gold Medal Competition.
Funds were allocated to provide permanent planting of the area at the entrance to Sewickley, then known as Boulevard Park, and the island dividing the lower part of Broad Street. The $1250 cost of the project was necessitated by the removal of the railroad tracks.
In a 1945 report to the State Federation, the Village Garden Club noted that its attention was directed to “practical and patriotic themes”… with study “concentrated on the important issues of conservation – soil erosion, strip mining, stream pollution and forestry protection – as well as the perennial problems of highway zoning and bill boards, besides plans for roadside rests and memorial plantings.” The report also states, “And we have just shipped two large cartons of warm clothing for the distressed people of Holland. This latter may not be strictly in the line of garden activity but it is certainly an appropriate gesture of friendliness toward a nation which has not only supplied us with choice garden material but in a similar time of emergency in this country a hundred and thirty years ago, sent food and clothing to war stricken Americans.”
Other major efforts in VGC’s first twenty-five years were: the Glenfield Project, where gardens, a craft room and a library were established; the Woods Run Project where “two waste spots were transformed into attractive little gardens, grass and flower beds were planted between houses and 240 flower boxes were entered in a prize competition;” providing a new heating system for a florist “whose greenhouses were ruined by the flood”; horticultural book contributions to the public library in memory of deceased members; and the planting of dogwood trees by individual members. For many years, VGC sent local teachers to further their studies at a special conservation course at State College, and a girl scout was sent to the Junior Conservation Camp.
VGC voted to expand its membership to fifty-five in 1954. Steps in the Village Garden Club’s 1957 Anti-Litter drive as part of Keep America Clean included a Litterbug Poster Contest by elementary and junior high students; furnishing trash containers for debris at the schools and in the business district; and involving the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts through educational talks.
In 1960, the Watson Home Project was initiated by VGC to provide therapy for the children; give horticultural experience for members; and to grow plants to be used in other VGC projects. The children named their group “The Sunny Hill Garden Club” and stimulated many ensuing activities, including garden walkways to accommodate wheelchairs and children on crutches, and participation in Arbor Day. On December 14, 1965, Mrs. Leet Shields was presented with the Garden Club of America’s “Medal of Merit” for her work at the Watson Home with the following citation: “For creating a class and workshop in horticulture, conservation and botany for physically handicapped children, and stimulating in them a love and interest in nature.”
A charter member in the establishment of The Pittsburgh Garden Center since 1935, VGC joined the Garden Club of America in November of 1961, was involved in the 1965 creation of the Sewickley Council of Garden Clubs, and resigned from the State Federation of Garden Clubs in 1967.
Planting around the new Academy building became a cooperative effort of Allegheny County Garden Club, Little Garden Club and the VGC in 1963.
Minutes from 1957 and 1958 reflect VCG’s involvement with “the park in the square,” also termed “the Little Park,” and the park “at the corner of Beaver and Broad.” In April of 1958, $600.00 was given to the park planting project, followed by $200.00 in March of 1959. Miss Mary Wolcott requested $200.00 on September, 1965 to “support new planting the garden at the corner of Beaver and Broad Streets in Sewickley which has long been taken care of by a committee under her guidance.” This unbudgeted item was referred to discussion with the Council of Garden Clubs and the Little Garden Club to arrive at a sound opinion about the future status of the park and its financing. In 1968, the Borough of Sewickley dedicated the park in Ms. Wolcott’s honor, attesting to the “constant reminder of efforts made by Miss Wolcott and her co-workers in providing a place of scenic beauty and comfort for area citizens.”
As part of the Bi-centennial effort, VGC planted 13 trees in Walker Park to represent the thirteen colonies.
Over the years, individual flower arrangements in specified categories were brought to meetings and were judged and recorded in the Minutes. Minutes also reflect keen interest and legislative action in matters of conservation with letters and postcards being sent by the membership to appropriate governmental groups.
A “living memorial” was authorized for the grounds of the Y.M.C.A. in 1968 at the cost of $500.00 with representatives of the VGC working with the Y.M.C.A. planting committee.
Pittsburgh Garden Center awarded VGC the “Hunt Trophy Award” for highest yearly achievements in Civic Activities of clubs numbering over 40 members in 1969. In the same year, Mrs. DeWitt Mackenzie was awarded the GCA Medal of Merit for Horticulture.
VGC hosted the Zone V meeting of the Garden Club of America on September 24-25, 1970. In the Zone’s competition of a scale drawing of a garden design, VGC was presented a blue ribbon for a proposed garden for crippled children at the Watson Home.
In 1971, Mrs. Charles Chubb, past VGC president, won the GCA Medal of Merit in recognition of a lifetime interest in conservation.
VGC presented its first fully-accredited (Federation of Garden Club rules) Flower Show in 1972, entitled “Celebration” at Sewickley Academy’s newly opened Fine Arts Building. The show was open to the entire community and included entry classes for Men and for Children, in addition to the required Artistic Division sections. A second fully accredited Flower Show, “Fall Glory,” was presented the following year.
The first phase of a two year revitalization plan for Wolcott Park was begun by VGC in 1979. Holly trees, azaleas, pyracantha and pachysandra were included in the plantings for the second phase in 1980. Allocated cost of the project was $1000.00.
Mrs. Lloyd Booth received the GCA Medal of Merit in Horticulture in 1979. In 1981, Mrs. George Moore received the GCA Medal of Merit.
Membership in VGC was increased to 60 active members in 1984.
Village Garden Club and the Garden Club of Allegheny County co-hosted the 1986 three-day 73rd Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of America in Pittsburgh. Interior Secretary, Donald P. Hodal, addressed the 550 members representing 186 clubs. As a project to raise funds for VGC in 1987, artist and member Susan Perrin sketched 14 Sewickley Valley landmarks, which were produced as red and white wrapping paper and sold throughout the community.
In 1990, Mary Lee Parrington was awarded the GCA Conservation Award for her work in developing a Nature Guides Field Manual “to inspire and educate our children.”
On May 13, 1997, VGC committed itself to the following goal: “Over the next five years, we will initiate and lead a civic project, involving the entire membership, that conserves, improves, and beautifies our community’s environment by education, advocacy, and direct action.”
In Spring, 1998, a vote passed “to enlarge and improve the existing terrace of the Sewickley Public Library, in conjunction with the comprehensive renovation and expansion already underway at this vital community facility.” At a cost of $40,000, raised through major gifts of individual members and a highly successful tour of five local private kitchens in 2000, the outdoor terrace at the Library was completed to serve the diverse needs of the many people of this community.
VGC hosted the Mini-Meeting of Zone 5 of Garden Club of America in October 2001.
Village Garden Club 