| Below are photos of the original tool shed become "office and visitor center" used by Eloise Butler, Martha Crone and Ken Avery, Garden Curators, until it's replacement in 1970. |
|
|
|
|
Photos: Left : Top: Front view, SE side, June 24, 1948. Middle: Same view, 1935. Note: The settees the gentlemen on the left are sitting on were replaced in 1960 by a pair of limestone benches donated by Moana Odell Beim in honor of her father, Clinton Odell. The large stone at the right bears the memorial tablet to Eloise Butler. (See Garden Memorials for details.) Bottom: Winter view, SE side, Feb. 16, 1950. Above: East side, fall foliage, Oct. 21, 1955. All photos, Minnesota Historical Society, Martha Crone Collection. Click on any photo on the left side for a larger view. |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Clinton Odell created this sketch of the old office and titled it "Early Spring in the Garden. Undated but circa late 1940s - early 1950s. Image courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society, Martha Crone Collection.
Click on image for a larger view. |
|
|
|
|
| The New Martha E. Crone Shelter |
|
| A project committee of the Friends of the Wild Flower Garden was formed in 1968 to develop ideas for a plan for a new shelter, to replace the deteriorating current office. These ideas were presented to the Park Superintendent and his staff. The idea being that the Park Board would provide for the funding and construction of the Shelter. (1) |
Friends Project Committee Members were: Catherine Faragher, Friends' President; Martha Crone, Secretary-Treasurer, editor of The Fringed Gentian and former Curator; Kenneth Avery, Curator; Mr. Alvin Witt, building fund; Mr. Wilbur H. Tusler, building chair; Mr. Harry Thorn; Mr. Robert Dassett. |
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
Funding by the Park Board was not going to be available for a number of years, thus it was in January 1969, that the idea of the Friends planning and constructing a new shelter themselves solidified. At that time the Park Board turned down the request of the Parks Superintendent, Mr. Robert Ruhe, to provide funds for the shelter improvement, at least not before 1976. It was then suggested by Mr. Ruhe and staff that the Friends produce a design of their own, submit it for approval and raise the money. (2)
The construction plans for the shelter were prepared by Hiram H. Livingston, Architect, and were approved by the Park Board Superintendent Mr. Robert Ruhe on March 25, 1969. It was agreed at that time upon request from the Friends that lavatory basins be installed in the restrooms and that water be run to them when water was run to the shelter. The shutters on the shelter were added in order to deter vandals. Also at this meeting the Friends requested a name change to the Garden by adding the words “and Bird Sanctuary”. This was approved by the Park Board. (3) |
|
|
| PDF of References |
|
Above: General plan of the Martha Crone Visitor's Shelter as prepared by Hiram Livingston. Click on image for a larger picture. |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Construction:
Construction responsibilities were as follows:
The cement slab and site excavation done by Park Board maintenance staff.
The foundation was laid by the Friends' contractor, Joe Peterson Construction.
Running electricity and water (water also to rest rooms) by Park Board and NSP.
All structure construction was done by the Friends' contractor.
Construction began in September 1969. By mid October the foundation and slab were completed so that building construction could begin. On October 23rd, Martha Crone hammered a “golden” nail from the old building into the new construction. Barbara Flannegan was to be there from the Tribune with photographers. (4) See photo at right. The old structure was moved to a spot near the back gate.
Costs:
Total cost to the Friends was $25,168.92 not counting the work done by the Park Board staff. Friends cost was:
Architect H. H. Livingston $2002.56 (hourly rate - $12)
Joe Peterson Construction, 5215 Logan So. $22,700.
Miscel: $466.36.
Furnishings and a library were provided. The list of furnishings on 9-28-70, including the bird song recorder and the library was valued for insurance purposes at $2,286. |
|
|
|
| Martha Crone with her great-grandson, Alan Wander, age 3, on October 23, 1969, at the building site of the new shelter. Photo as published in the Minneapolis Star, Oct. 24, 1969, Minnesota Historical Society, Martha Crone Collection. |
| The monthly newsletter for the employees of the City of Minneapolis, "Around the Clock", featured the Garden in the June 1971 issue and commented on The Friends, their construction of the Shelter and then its dedication to the Park Board. |
| |
|
|
|
|
The Shelter was dedicated on May 13, 1970 and named the Martha E. Crone Shelter. (Dedication plaque shown at far right.) Leonard C. Odell, son of Clinton Odell, was master of ceremonies.
Mrs. Faragher reports in February 1970 when construction was virtually complete, that there were 256 contributors. She had earlier reported that at the time of approval of the plans from the Park Board, the Friends had $4,000 available. The remainder had to be raised. There were only 200 Friends members at the time, so some came from outsiders. (5) |
Friends board member Betty Bridgman wrote a poem or the occasion of the dedication. (Read it here.) |
|
|
| Martha Crone wrote a thank you to the Friends in July 1970. She said "I take this opportunity to express my appreciation and extend my heartfelt gratitude to al members and friends who made possible the beautiful shelter building in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Gardena and Bird Sanctuary and dedicated it to me. I am most grateful to those who have given of their time and effort to make it such a success. This is really the culmination of many years of my life devoted to the Garden." |
|
|
|
Exterior Views of the Martha Crone Visitor's Shelter (Click on any image below for a larger view.) |
|
|
|
|
The front (NW) view of the Martha Crone Visitor's Shelter |
A south view from the walking path to the shelter. |
|
|
|
|
The SW elevation as seen from the walking path. |
The SE and NE elevation as seen from the Upland Garden |
|
|
|
Interior Views of the Martha Crone Visitor's Shelter |
|
|
Left: The information area with patron handouts, volunteer desk and library. Click on image for a larger view.
Right: A display cabinet in the corner of the fireplace wall - see bottom left photo. |
|
|
|
Left: The main room with display cabinets and table. Click on image for a larger view. |
|
|
Left: The fireplace wall with door on left to the storage room. Click on image for a larger view.
Right: Metal sculptural insert in the main door. |
|
|
| The 81 x 42 inch wood table was a gift of Ms. Elizabeth Schutt in memory of her mother, Mrs. Clara M. Schutt, who was a good friend of Eloise Butler and from whose property, Eloise Butler acquired plant specimens for the Garden. The six benches, 36 inches long, were the gift of various garden and bird clubs. The funds for the heat ventilator fireplace were a gift, in memory of Kathleen Dean Hillman, from her Girl Scout friends and from her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Dean. (The current heat ventilator was installed later). The exterior of the fireplace is cut stone from Wisconsin. The music system installed in the Shelter was a memorial for Mrs. H. H. Livingston, the architect's deceased wife. The lintel over the front door is inscribed in memory of Margaret Tusler, wife of building committee chair Wilbur Tusler. She had passed away in the Spring of 1969, just before construction began. |
|
|
|
Shelter Volunteers |
|
|
|
The history of Friends members being volunteers at the Shelter goes back to the time of building the Shelter, It was suggested by Mrs. Faragher that a committee from the membership of the Friends be formed to arrange for members to serve as "hosts" at the shelter and to care for the library, as such an arrangement would involve more members actively. (6). Volunteers, many of whom are members of the Friends, provide daily staffing at the Shelter to this day.
Shelter "hosts" originally worked a 3 hour shift. The members of the first group to do this in 1970 were: Herman Arnott, Frank Carleton, Clark Chamerlain, Alexander Dean, Lester Ericsson, Russell Gutteridge, William Hardacker, E. A. Hedenstrom, T. A. Hoffmeyer, Carl H. Olson, George L. Peterson, S. C. Reed, Mary Simmons, T. E. Stark, Oscar Vanlander, Edward Verbarg, Miss Marion Griffith, Miss Elsie Johnson, Miss Elizabeth Schutt, Mr. and Mrs. Don Miller.
|
|
|
|
General Reference:
Martha Crone papers and Friends of the Wild Flower Garden papers, Minnesota Historical Society Collections.
PDF File of documents referenced |
Specific references from the general collection:
1. Project Committee meeting report September 5, 1968
2. Presidents Report to Project Committee January 28, 1969
3. Friends meeting minutes March 25, 1969
4. Letter from Mrs. Faragher to the project committee, October 2, 1969
5. President Mrs. Reginald (Catherine) Faragher letter to the membership, April 25, 1969
6. Board minutes, Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, June 5, 1969 |
|
|
|
| ©2008, 2013. Friends of the Wild Flower Garden. Photos are property of the Friends unless otherwise noted. Research and text by Gary Bebeau. Web site address: "www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org" 040413 |
|
