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Treasurer’s Records Series

 Series

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The Agassiz Garden Club Records have been organized into of five series: Constitution and Bylaws, Treasurer’s Records, Project Plans, Subject Files, and Scrapbooks.

The Constitution and Bylaws Series consists of an undated constitution, undated list of bylaws, and an undated list of amendments. The series also includes an amended version of the club’s constitution and bylaws dated 1973, and a copy of the 1966 Bylaws of North Dakota State Federation of Garden Clubs. Apparently the club did not maintain meeting minutes since none were found in its records.

The Treasurer’s Records Series includes both general records for the club, a separate record for spoon sales and memorial profits, and tax records. To raise funds for the club’s ongoing project of maintaining the Pioneer Memorial Garden, a special spoon was made and sold by the club. Memorials were also sold, and these records were kept separate from the club’s general records of income and expenses. Not all of the records were effectively separated and some of the ledgers and loose documents contain various bits of information from all of the club’s activities. Membership records can also be found in both the ledgers and loose documents.

The Project Plans Series contains information and records about the various projects the garden club worked on over the years. The primary project for the club was the creation and maintenance of the Pioneer Memorial Garden at the Homme Recreational Area near Park River, N.D. Other projects that the club worked on were usually associated with the major project of the primary project of the memorial garden. Some of these projects include building a lily pond/fountain at the Homme Recreation Area, establishing the area as a bird sanctuary, participating in the American Revolution Bicentennial, and participating in the Keep North Dakota Clean movement. Another primary activity of the club was to participate in and host annual flower and hobby shows. The club hosted flower sales also with the proceeds usually earmarked for the memorial garden project.

The information included in this series includes maps and plans of the Pioneer Memorial Garden (Oversize Collection 8). Also included is a history of the project written by club members, applications for grant money for the memorial garden, papers regarding the methods for establishing a memorial garden, and lists of other memorial gardens in the state.

Information for the bird sanctuary project includes the official petition to the Walsh County Park Board requesting the Homme Recreation Area to be designated a bird sanctuary. The chairman of the park board signed the petition granting the garden club’s request. There are also grant applications and organizational documents proving general information about birds and bird sanctuaries.

Information for the flower and hobby shows consists mostly of annual programs listing the various schedules and classes for each flower show. Other information included consists of guest books for some of the shows and expense records for some of the shows.

The records for the American Revolution Bicentennial and the Keep North Dakota Clean project include both correspondence and resource materials for the projects. These two projects were affiliated through the state program and were community beautification programs that solicited the help of all state garden clubs. The Agassiz Garden Club involved itself in the programs as an extension of what they were already doing to maintain the Homme Recreation Area.

The Subject Files Series includes a booklet written by club members, Agassiz Garden Club, 20th Anniversary History . This was a history of the club, the Homme Dam Recreation Area, the creation of the Walsh County Park Board, the Pioneer Memorial Garden, and other projects of the club. Other items in this series include awards won by the club, brochures and pamphlets, correspondence, membership lists, memorial lists, miscellaneous records, organizational information, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and a press release from 1976 detailing the development of the Homme Recreation Area.

The Scrapbook Series consists of two categories of scrapbooks that were created by the club. One set of scrapbooks were a general record of the clubs activities that included newspaper clippings, programs, photographs, letters, lists of officers, and organization records such as a copy of the constitution. The later scrapbooks, from 1980 and later, follow the political career of one of the club members, Rosemarie Myrdal, a former Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota. The other set of scrapbooks (1968-1976) were formal books displayed at state conferences. The books were well maintained and organized for the purpose of winning awards and recognition for the club. The formal scrapbooks from 1971 to 1976 are each adorned with a hand-painted porcelain medallion. One of the images is the state seal of the North Dakota Federation of Garden Clubs, which was designed by a member of the Agassiz Garden Club, Agnes Sticha. The formal scrapbooks contain photos, letters, programs and newspaper clippings documenting the activities of the club.

Dates

  • 1954-1991.

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Extent

From the Collection: 4.4 Linear Feet (4.4 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository

Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States