Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: https://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: https://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Southside Garden Club Records, Ms2007-032, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Southside Garden Club Records were donated to Special Collections in 2007. Additional scrapbooks were donated in 2011 and 2018. Additional materials were donated to Special Collections in 2019.

Processing Information

The original donation of materials was processed, arranged, and described in 2008. Accessions received in 2011 and 2018 were processed in July 2018. The 2019 accession was processed in October 2022.

Administrative History

The Southside Garden Club began as a committee under the governance of the Blacksburg Woman's Club. In the 1920s, in order to generate more interest in the Woman's Club a committee was formed known as the Garden Committee. The committee first met in February of 1928, and in March of 1930 the committee voted to withdraw from the Woman's Club and form its own independent organization. From the very beginning the Garden Club was concerned with community involvement and civic interests including the beautification of Blacksburg. In the late 1930s, the Garden Club's membership had grown beyond the capacity that could be accommodated by meetings in women's homes, in order to solve this problem, the club voted to split into three groups, the Arboretum Garden Club, Southside Garden Club, and Town and Country Garden Club.

The Southside Garden Club, so named because many members lived on the south side of town, was federated in 1941. The Southside Garden Club continued the tradition of community involvement. In 1952, the club voted in favor of having women on the town council and in 1963, succeeded in making Blacksburg a bird sanctuary. It has furnished flowers and plants for various public buildings such as school grounds, Historic Smithfield, and the public library. Members of the Southside Garden Club have also participated in many contests and won awards in categories such as Garden Therapy and Horticulture. The primary mission of the Garden Club has always been the beautification of the town and county, and that mission continues even into the present day.

Scope and Content

The Southside Garden Club Records contain materials from the Blacksburg Woman's Club and the Southside Garden Club. The Blacksburg Woman's Club materials include newspaper clippings, minutes and yearbooks. The Southside Garden Club materials include the organization's records and history as well as minutes, yearbooks, awards, and scrapbooks. There are multiple programs from shows that the Southside Garden Club and other local garden clubs hosted. The bulk of the collection is scrapbooks which contain photographs of floral arrangements and Garden Club members, newspaper clippings, and yearbooks from each year.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into two series each of which is arranged in chronological order.

Series I: Blacksburg Woman's Club Material, 1914-1957: this series contains newspaper clippings, minutes, yearbooks, and publications.

Series II: Southside Garden Club Material, 1947-2009: this series is broken up into three sub-series described below:
Sub-series A: Records and Minutes, 1947-2005, this series contains annual reports and minutes of the Garden Club. The series is separated into categories and arranged in chronological order.
Sub-series B: Garden Club Awards and Pressbooks, 1964-2001, this series contains press clippings regarding garden club activities and booklets related to the contests entered by Garden Club members.
Sub-series C: Garden Club Scrapbooks, 1962-2009, this series contains the scrapbooks of the Garden Club. This series also contains garden show programs from shows hosted by the Southside Garden Club and a few other local garden clubs.

Separated Material

A 1978 New Virginians Home Show program was placed in the Record Group Vertical Files RG 31/8/12.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Blacksburg (Va.)
• Blacksburg Woman's Club (Blacksburg, Va.)
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Montgomery County (Va.)
• Southside Garden Club (1928/1930-) (Blacksburg, Va.)
• Women -- History

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Southside Garden Club Records by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).