All information in this " Centennial" Page is provided by Stacy Hunt who has been tirelessly collating old articles and photographs, and spending many hours in The Kenilworth Historical Society !
Garden Clubs of Illinois: Annual Meeting
Hosted by KHGC
at Kay Culver's home
210 Melrose
"The program was called 'A Visit to Kenilworth'. After our guests had been served a delicious luncheon in the garden of Mrs. Richard D. (Kay) Culver in beautiful containers made by Mary Alice Kreutzer, the following gardens were visited. Bea Kennedy, Adeline Terra, Florence Raymond, and Colleen Kilner and in addition the gardens in the Holy Comforter Church Yard and the Ware Memorial Park were exhibited." -
Club History 1923-1961 p30.
300 Decorative lunch boxes, handmade by Mary Alice Kreutzer. "These attractive 'souvenirs' of the day must be in homes scattered widely in Illinois." - Quote from unknown Chicago newspaper.
Photo by Violet Wyld.
Seen in Photo Above: Olive Lyons, Mary Rader, Madge Carlson and Polly Keith
Homes on the Tour:
Bea Kennedy - 512 Roslyn
"Rose Garden"
Florence Raymond - 547 Roslyn
"Rose Garden"
Adeline Terra - 528 Roslyn
"Indoor swimming pool set in tropical planting"
Colleen Kilner - 430 Sheridan
"...an unusual planting of Bulgarian boxwood, will have special interest for the horticulturalists."
Newspaper from club archives. Publisher unknown.
"In observance of its 40th anniversary the Kenilworth Home and Garden Club presented to the Village of Kenilworth a specimen Douglas fir tree."
Newspaper article with photo and quote above provided by Gen Phelps. Newspaper publisher unknown.
Pictured left: Aletta Stein, Gladys Seely, Colleen Kilner, John Swansen (Park Board), Madeleine Carpenter, Bernadette Hazelhurst and Gen Phelps.
Kick off to 40th Anniversary Year:
"No Strings" In-Club Flower Show
October 1962 - Alma Nellis' home
615 Warwick
Seen here: Alma Nellis and Ruth Lawson. Photo from club archives.
"The show will be held in the home of Mrs. Nellis. This unusual home with its high ceilings and paneling is famous for its design by John Van Bergen, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright, and forms a perfect background for the diversity of themes offered...The show marks the beginning of the 40th year of the club. Members regard the house as fitting way to celebrate such a milestone.
Quote from unknown newspaper 10/11/62.
40th Annual Meeting
Polly Keith's Home
157 Kenilworth Avenue
Members sang "Happy Birthday" in honor of our club's 40th Anniversary.
Honorary Members:
Juanita Joslin - 1923*
Mildred McAllister - 1937*
Pauline Barrett - 1925*
Gladys Seely - 1931*
*Year Became Active Member*
Newspaper from club archives. Publisher unknown
1964 December Program:
Handmade sewing boxes and jewelry made for hospital patients.
Left to right in photo: Helen Marlas, Gen Phelps and Vivien Collins
Photos from unknown newspaper. Information from club minutes.
Above:
1966 December Program: Esther Pendleton (holding branch) displayed a tamarack branch and an antique birdcage to fellow members.
Left to right in photo: Ethel Witwer, Esther Pendleton, Gen Phelps and Ada Deletzke.
Photo courtesy of Howard Fochler. Newspaper courtesy of Gen Phelps. Publisher unknown.
Ladies standing:
1967 Ravinia Flower Show:
Polly Keith and Fran Powell, luncheon co-chairs, study the festival poster. "Our club will furnish heart shaped bottles of wine which costs 10 cents each." The proceeds were used to landscape Ravinia Park.
Left to right in photo: Polly Keith and Fran Powell.
Quote and information from April 13, 1967 club minutes. Newspaper from club archives. Publisher unknown.
Our club undertook an extraordinary House Walk that would net $3500 in proceeds for philanthropy projects.
"The Christmas decorations in the five homes will be distinctive because more than a year ago the club retained one of the country's most prominent flower arrangers and lecturers, Mrs. Roland L. Fifer of Louisville, KY...Club members, under the tutelage of six nationally accredited flower show judges, also will play a large part in the decorations." - Quote from "Wilmette Life" 11/25/65
Seen above:
October 21, 1965 "Wilmette Life":
Ada Deletzke ,Clara Eshbach, and Mary Bridegroom at the Kenilworth Post Office mailing the invitations.
Seen above:
Charlotte Cram and Winnie Donald, committee members, seen with Lydia Wack at her front door 303 Richmond, one of the homes on the walk.
Homes on the Walk:
326 Essex Road
Ethel Spindell
615 Essex
Eileen Wigginton
140 Melrose
Mary Howard
210 Melrose
Kay Culver
303 Richmond Road
Lydia Wack
Our club undertook an extraordinary House Walk that would net $3500 in proceeds for philanthropy projects.
"The Christmas decorations in the five homes will be distinctive because more than a year ago the club retained one of the country's most prominent flower arrangers and lecturers, Mrs. Roland L. Fifer of Louisville, KY...Club members, under the tutelage of six nationally accredited flower show judges, also will play a large part in the decorations." - Quote from "Wilmette Life" 11/25/65
Shields designed for each home:
"Modern versions of heraldic shields will mark the five houses..."
"In heraldic history, each house had its own distinguishing shield,...
The Benefit committee decided to design special shields bearing pictures of interesting items that will be found in each house."
Quote from club member Beth Alberding, printed in the "Chicago Tribune" 11/16/65.
Above: Kay Culver poses with the shield for her home at 210 Melrose, where the "Boutique Internationale" was open to guests
"Chicago Sun Times" 12/2/65
Homes on the Walk:
326 Essex Road
Ethel Spindell
615 Essex
Eileen Wigginton
140 Melrose
Mary Howard
210 Melrose
Kay Culver
303 Richmond Road
Lydia Wack
Mahoney Park:
Park Drive/Kenilworth Club/Sears
1964: Multiple Plantings - "Wilmette Life" article
Sears
1960: Tree planted - Nels Johnson requested his speaker fee be used to plant a tree at Sears. Also vinca donated and planted at Sears.
Memorial Garden
1964: Douglas Fir planted in honor of our 40th Anniversary
Green Bay Road:
1961: Floribunda rose bushes planted to "contribute to the beauty of our village"
Planting information from 1960-69 club minutes. Green Bay Road quote from Club History 1923-1961 p 31.
$3000 Net Profit for Club Philanthropy
(That's $21,068 in today's dollars!)
The benefit was held at Adeline Terra's Boutique @ 600 Green Bay
The Preview Party was held on November 29th.
The boutique was open from November 30th - December 6th from 10am - 4pm daily.
Club minutes from October and November 1977
Photo : Gen Phelps,
Photos from "Publicity 1962-1973 p106".
Pictured above:
Ethel Witwer (left) and Kay Culver (right).
Our members staffed the Flower Market at Old Orchard for 2 days!
Newspaper article with photo, phot and newspapers from club archives "Newspapers1970's".
Newspaper publisher unknown.
Newspaper from club archives "Newspaper Articles 1930-1992" p39. Courtesy of "Wilmette Life".
Gathering at Mahoney
"The meeting started with an informal gathering at Mahoney Park
and continued on to the home of our hostess, Charlotte Cram,
for luncheon."
-Club Minutes June 19, 1978
Luncheon at
Charlotte Cram's home
145 Tudor Place
Luncheon at
Charlotte Cram's home
145 Tudor Place
Photo above :
Kathy Grienenberger and
Francie McCrea
Why in the world do we call our philanthropy chair "Garden Therapy"?
In 1979, the Garden Clubs of Illinois (CGI) approved the change of the Board position of
"Plant, Fruit and Flower Guild"
to
"Garden Therapy"
in order to align better with the current times.
The description of its duties would read:
"The Garden Therapy Chairman shall have charge of all activities in connection with Garden Therapy work including contributions and service projects."
The chairman description reads the same to this day.
Background: We had a "Plant, Flower and Fruit Guild" chairman since the 1927. This was a Boardposition for all clubs of the Garden Clubs ofIllinois (GCI). The position covered the extensive philanthropic work for the war effort, donations to local hospitals and all other projects.
Information from club Minutes 3/19/79 and club archives.
Mahoney Park
1971: Worked with Sears and Scouts to make new signs.
1975: Our club's "main civic cause" was to restore pathways.
1977: Wood chips donated to maintain restored pathways.
1977: Bird house at "Scout's Corner" restored.
1978: Committee formed to investigate long term needs of the park.
Park Drive
1975: Gingko tree planted in memory of Bernadette Hazlehurst.
1976: Landscaping - Joint project with Council of Garden Clubs.
Sears
1970: Landscaping completed for new addition at Sears. This was a joint project with the Kenilworth Council of Garden Clubs. Our club raised $874 towards the project from our own boutique we stocked and ran in June 1970.
1975: Conservation Curriculum donated.
Kenilworth Historical Society
1974-1976: Books donated to the Historical Society Library in memory of former president Nellie Barton, Honorary Members Pauline Barrett and Juanita Joslyn.
1976: Tree planted in memory of Colleen Kilner through the Historical Society.
Village
1971-1979: Christmas lights provided for trees by the train station.
1972: $300 for Village Hall landscaping for Council of Garden Clubs project.
1978: $100 for edging for wildflower garden by Village Hall donated.
1979: $3100 raised by 4 garden clubs for "Promenade in Kenilworth"
Planting information from 1970-79 club minutes. 1975 Gingko tree on Park Drive from "Publicity 1967-78" p20.
Tree for Mrs.Kilner info from 10/18/76 club minutes.
April 19, 1985
National Register
Listing Granted
~
KHGC Members Jane Drexler, Patt Babb, Charlotte Cram and Gunta Cepuritis and June Goss of Kenilworth Garden Arts, as part of the Kenilworth Council of Garden Clubs
worked tirelessly "...to secure the coveted designation."
1985 Press Release written by Francie McCrea.
"Jensen lived at a time when conservation was still for the most part a theory; yet, through his love for the Midwest terrain
and his tireless effort to replicate it
he conveyed a deep understanding of the broader implications of conservation. His parks, simulating and idealizing the prairie, called attention to the natural landscape that was passing. His mission was not only to beautify but to awaken. "
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form 1985, Page 1.
~
"Apparently
the Kenilworth Home and Garden Club was the moving force in this effort to save Mahoney Park for the village."
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form 1985, Page 3.
Sherry Fowler and Ann Williams seen left
Mahoney Park Picnic:
History Program and Lunch around the Council Rings
Hostess:
Sherry Fowler
110 Abingdon
(Sherry's backyard was adjacent to Mahoney Park)
"Posh Picnics" recipe collection was sold as a fundraiser for Mahoney Park in 1985-86 by the four Kenilworth Garden Clubs.
Photo courtesy of Jane Drexler.
We planted potentilla bushes, mock strawberry, and daffodils.
Weekly weeding was done each summer.
at : Claudia Lane's home
321 Melrose
$1800 was raised for Richmond Circle.
"Dorothy Goodyear and Patt Babb dug weeds, fed the grass and planted flowers. Dinah Perutz and Joanne Smith volunteered to start the weeding chain." - May 19, 1987 Minutes
Photos, invitation and committee listing from club archives. Information from club minutes.
Mahoney Park
1980: Cockspur Hawthorn in memory of Olive Lyons
1984: Extensive clean up of "grape vines and weed trees" 9/10/84 Minutes
1985: 15 Flowering Trees and 3 White Oaks*
(*57 trees in total planted by all 4 garden clubs.)
1985: Mahoney Park placed on the National Register of Historic Places
1985: New path for the east side
1986: Hawthorn Tree in memory of Pauline Richmond
1986: $1000 for landscaping
1987: Tree planted in memory of Esther Pendleton
Park Drive
1981: Two flowering crab trees in memory of Edna Graham and Eileen Wigginton
Richmond Circle
1984: "Plantings"
1984: Cleanup work for the circle
1985: Potentilla bushes, mock strawberry, daffodils, river birch tree maintenance
1986: $100 for maintenance
1987: Joanne Smith weeded all summer
1988: $1824 in plantings - Proceeds from the 1988 Benefit
Ware Memorial Garden
1980: Daffodils in memory of Helen Marlas
1981: Bench
Village
1982: 7 Trees - given by our members through Beautification
1984: Village display wreath
1985: $1000 donation made to Beautification in memory of member Edna Graham by her husband Bill Graham
1985: Christmas wreaths for the columns at the entrance to Kenilworth on Sheridan Road
1988: Flowering tree planted through Beautification in memory of Alma Nellis
Planting information from 1980-89 club minutes.