Town and Country Garden Club

The Town and Country Garden Club was organized in 1967 with assistance from County Agent Bob Harris.

Mrs. Melfred (Margaret) Monson was the first president, and is still a member.

In 1969, the club became affiliated with state and national garden clubs.

The 1969 members, many of them still in the club:

Caspara Aarestad

Ruth Arneson

Genevieve Detwiller

Mrs. Clara Eide

Ruth Fredrickson

Duna Frigaard

Gladys Hanson

Selma Helland

Evelyn Hoganson

Agnes Jensen

Esther Knutson

Inga Loge

Mae Monson

Marion Olson

Alice Opheim

Shirley Stokka

Ann Thime

Inga Ueland

Amy Winning

The first flower show was held in connection with the Griggs County Fair in August of 1967 with 23 exhibitors.  In 1973 the first standard flower show was held at city hall.  For many years there were two shows: a standard show in summer or late fall, and the fair show, until in 1981 it was decided to have the fair event a standard show.

Over the years the garden club has launched many civic beautification projects.  In 1976 club members worked on the Opheim log cabin.  They built a new roof, plastered holes, cleaned the inside, made curtains and planted flowers.

By 1979 they were ready for another big one.  That year they built a mini-park in the space between Stone's Cafe and H.E. Everson Company.  At the grand opening of the little park, Inga Loge, oldest member of the club, cut the ribbon and Mayor Leon Sayer spoke.

In 1981, when the cafe was demolished and the ground leveled, they extended the park to that space as well.

Both the cabin and the park won recognition for the club, second place in state competition for the cabin; second place in the Sears E.I.D. competition along with a $500 prize for the park.

Club members have relied on donations from members and others to carry on their work.  Produce sales in the fall and plant sales in the spring have helped to pay for club projects.

Every year they plant flowers and keep up the flower beds at several public places including the Griggs County courthouse and the log cabin, the museum, the nursing home, city hall and the mini-park.

The garden club sponsors two junior groups, the Weeders and Seeders, started in 1977, with members mostly from south of Cooperstown and the Prairie Rose Club, new in 1981 for children in the Sutton community.

Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 241