Our History
Written and Researched by Denise Farrell
Like many aspects of daily life the club is not as formal as it once was; years ago, prospected members were proposed and seconded by another member and then interviewed before being invited into membership.
Many of the original members had homes in New York City as well as in Yorktown. Membership requirements were specified as having a garden, exhibiting in at least one flower show held by the club each year and undertaking projects assigned by the club president.
Initially, women had been able to vote as citizens for nearly six years but they took their civic duties seriously. Several members directly impacted the preservation of land for future generations by donating large tracts for public use.
The Van Brunt sisters, Catherine and Elizabeth had a country estate that their family donated to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Part of this land is now the Westchester County Kitchawan Preserve.
A new strain of Magnolia Tree was named for Elizabeth Van Brunt in honor of the family’s generosity. Long-time garden club Mrs. Samuel Ordway’s magnanimous gift helped in establishing Turkey Mountain Park for the Town.
Members held meetings at their homes, which is still the practice today, and meticulous minutes of the meetings were taken. Original minutes dating to the first discussions in 1926 are part of the archives at the Yorktown Museum, with those older documents written in elegant penmanship.
Lands Donated By Former Members
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Turkey Mountain Park
Donated by Mrs. Samuel Ordway. Visit or learn more about Turkey Mountain, visit Yorktown.org.
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Kitchawan Preserve
Donated by the Van Brunt sisters. To visit or learn more about Kitchawan Preserve, visit Westchester.gov.
Today’s Garden Club Programs Resemble Those of the Past.
Meetings were held from April to November as they are still today to discuss; “All phases of garden activities.” Dues were originally set at $5 per year and only recently were increased. During the Depression, members made adjustments for the strained economy and dues were reduced to $1.
At one of the first club meetings in 1927 mention was made of the good turnout considering the stormy weather. Current members will attest to the usual occurrence of stormy weather whenever outside garden events are planned. Clearly, some precedents continue. At this same meeting, members read a bulletin from Cornell Extension about the importance of conservation, especially wildflower species. They illustrated what to pick and what flowers should be left.
Today’s Garden Club programs resemble those of the past. Among the earlier club program topics were perennials, small garden areas, trees (including a competition on tree leaf identification) and several trips to renowned gardens in the area.
Records of 1937 show that members were very interested in having a speaker discuss the benefits of native plants in the garden, a topic of great interest today. These early members enjoyed lively competition in flower arranging and bulb growing. Frequently a member put up a $5 prize for the winner. The minutes portray a rather accurate accounting of prizes won by members at the end of each season.
Using communal funds, the membership also began a small private garden library. The membership subscribed to Better Homes and Gardens and Garden Magazine. And they received scores of bulletins from Cornell University. The publications were kept at the home of a member who was elected librarian. Magazines could be loaned out for two weeks and records show that rather severe late fees were imposed on those who were tardy with returns.
Making Friends in War-Torn Countries
A pivotal event occurred for the club in 1927. Not only were the members officially invited into the state organization of garden clubs, for the first time they had a speaker that showed “lantern slides” of English and Cornish gardens. The women were very excited the day they went by “motor” to the Amawalk Nursery and Tavern. They were shown how a sizable tree which was grown in Amawalk was shipped by “aero plane” to New York City, where it was planted in Riverside Park.
Early in 1927 the club president strongly urged that an effort be made on the part of the club to improve the village of Yorktown and to stimulate the interest of the town in beautifying its gardens.
The Garden Club worked with Yorktown Women’s Club in 1929 to “improve the surroundings of the railroad station in Yorktown.”
In 2000 the club planted a garden at Railroad Park in hopes of beautifying the park area and the bike path, which has replaced the Old Put railroad line. The plantings are butterfly and bird inducements. In the future, the Garden Club hopes to continue to contribute to Patriot Park.
In perusing the old minutes and correspondence, the most moving documents were the notes of thanks from a village in Austria and an orphanage in Korea to whom the club had sent seeds as a part of post-war rebuilding efforts. In looking at today’s world, it is most impressive to picture that group of Yorktown citizens reaching out across the globe to do what they could to offer help and friendship.
While the days of serving tea and awarding prize money for tree leaf identification have most certainly passed, many aspects of the Garden Club of Yorktown are thriving and have been enhanced over the past 75 years. A dedication to community service has grown over the years as the Garden Club works at beautification in town and preserving open spaces in the county.
The club still meets regularly and schedules programs throughout the year addressing the many aspects of gardening. While today there is no private library, the group still receives horticultural updates from Cornell Cooperative Extension. To glean insights into structural possibilities, visits to historic sites are arranged.