Repository:

Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.

Title:

Garden Club of Kent records

Inclusive Date(s):

1946-2010

Author:

Finding aid prepared by Mikkala Wilcox

Creation:

Finding aid encoded by Mikkala Wilcox using the OhioLINK EAD Application in 2019

Description Rules:

Finding aid prepared using DACS 2nd Edition

Origination:

Garden Club of Kent (Kent, Ohio)

Extent:

4 cubic feet (4 record storage boxes)

Physical Location:

11th Floor

Finding Aid Identifier:

OhKeUSC0207

Abstract:

This collection contains board meeting records, news clippings, correspondence, financial records, photographs, and subject files for the Garden Club of Kent, Ohio (formally called the Men's Garden Club of Kent). Included in this collection is Backyard Pests, the club's newsletter.

Revision(s):

November 2024 - Revised by Haley Antell Chan

Language(s):

The records are in English.

History of the Garden Club of Kent

The Men's Garden Club of Kent (MGCK), a branch of the National Men's Garden Club America, was founded on April 28, 1947 by Ray Cheetham and Lawrence Bundy after several men started meeting in the "Old" Methodist Church in Kent, Ohio. The club was officially started on March 22, 1948, when the Kent club was chartered by the national club. On January 15, 1957 then Ohio Secretary of State, Ted Brown, issued the articles of incorporation. The first president of the MGCK was Charles Sumner. The club has held flower shows, plant sales, horticulture shows and other events for the community and club members with the aim of raising money for community projects. The club worked with the community, doing programs for youth gardeners and a community garden for the Kent area, as well as beautification projects for numerous Kent locations. The MGCK created a club newsletter titled Backyard Pests, which was published once a month, every year starting in 1951. The club started accepting female members in 1990 and changed its name from "Men's Garden Club of Kent" to "Garden Club of Kent" in 1998-1999.

Scope and Content

The Garden Club of Kent collection contains board meeting records, news clippings and photographs of various club related events and news, correspondence between members and other individuals/corporations, club related financial records, and subject files, which contain files on anything from club hosted program materials to membership information. This collection also contains the Garden Club of Kent produced club newsletter, Backyard Pests. The included issues range from 1951-2010, with some years and months missing.

Statement of Arrangement

This collection is divided into the following series.

• Series 1: Backyard Pests
• Series 2: Board Meeting Records
• Series 3: Clippings
• Series 4: Correspondence
• Series 5: Financial Records
• Series 6: Photographs
• Series 7: Subject Files

Preferred Citation

Garden Club of Kent records. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.

Controlled-Access Headings:

The following are found in this collection:

Subjects:

• Men's Garden Club of Kent (Kent, Ohio) -- Archives
• Garden Club of Kent (Kent, Ohio) -- Archives
• Gardening -- Ohio -- Kent -- Societies, etc. -- History
• Men -- Ohio -- Kent -- Societies and clubs -- History
• Kent (Ohio) -- Societies, etc. -- History
• Clubs -- Ohio -- Kent -- History

Persons:

• Cheetham, Ray
• Bundy, Lawrence
• Brown, Ted
• Sumner, Charles

Functions:

• Clubs -- Management

Places:

• Kent (Ohio)

Occupations:

• Civic leaders

Material Types:

• Handbooks and manuals
• Directories
• Business correspondence
• Business records
• Newsletters
• By-laws
• Constitutions
• Financial records
• Photographs
• Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
• Minutes (Records)

Detailed Description of the Collection