2nd Sunday at 2 pm
Monthly History and Humanities Series is free to the public
Please join us July 8 for Brad Agnew
Judge Lynn, Paula Burris share memories, history and fondness for each other at 2nd Sunday at 2 in June
Entertaining those at June's 2nd Sunday at 2 series with stories of Tahlequah over the past 30 years, their marriage, youth and obvious affection for each other were Judge Lynn and Paula Burris.
This monthly history series sponsored by the Arts Council of Tahlequah features different aspects of mostly local history, by both historians and community members. Brad Agnew will be the July 8th speaker, with Ed Fite in August and Jay Hannah in September, kicking off the second year.
Judge Burris opted to speak first, with facts, "I don't know how much you all know about land, but there's been a lot of issues with land over the years. An abstract is a title to your land. All owners need a clean title of record, with no leans of question of ownership. Leans need a release or a quiet title. In the 30s, lots of lean companies went out of business."
"The court house had old characters, odors and smells. Some old characters used to get drunk in the old gazebo and gol to jail, Burris said. "Did you know in the 1920s the cupola burned? My father-in-law [Paul Tarkington] told me about how he was trying to help put out the fire and got put in jail? They kept alcohol up in the cupola so it really burned."
Did you remember in the late 20s the tornado in Peggs? Burris asked, "he was there helping, too."
Paula inserted, "my interest in history is from dad and the stories he told.
"I floated the river with Paula's dad for years, he had a beautiful canoe, and told me many stories and the names of the holes around 1919," said Burris, who also coached high school football and track for three years in Independence, Mo. before law school.
In May of 1979 the old court house was moved into current Cherokee County Court House, he said.
Originally from Muskogee, Burris graduated from law school in 1968 from the University of Oklahoma. He had already met Paula at Northeastern, and they returned here in the 1970s.
"I practiced law in the old juris prudence system, lay people could practice law then," he said.
Since then people have called me every year, "to ask me who to vote for."
"Judge Bill Bliss was our first district judge, I was the second the second district judge, all the district judges have come from the the district attorney's office, it's kind of unusual for it to be a stepping stone from the DAs office to judge," he said.
Now, he said, "I'm going to teach you to think outside the box."
"If you can't do math you have to see it, like a calendar, you can see math," Burris said. "It's important to read, read, read and do a little thinking."
What do December, decimal and decade have in common? he asked.
"Dec, meaning 10," he said, "and what do Julius Ceasar and Augustus Ceasar have in common? Months were named for them, July and August.
Peering a little farther into his past, Burris also shared a few memories of and family and football days.
"I had five sisters, there were six boys. I'm ninth and my twin tenth," he started.
They grew up in Muskogee."
"We were all at OU, they were state champs for several years. In the fall of 1954 I was there and part of the 1956 National Championship team," he said. "In January of '58 I came here [Tahlequah] to play football."
It was a lot of fun at OU, "we spent a lot of time practicing. I had a scholarship."
Football also taught life lessons, like winning and losing.
"There were good football players on both teams, but you could tell a winner by his demeanor after a game, not by who won or lost a game," Burris said. "When you win you don't look back. I looked back when we had a loss to see how people lose."
Bud Wilkinson taught character, Burris said, "and a fine gentleman."
Memories of growing up for Tahlequah native Paula Burris included fun times of youth.
Logan House was city hospital, James and Jane Bond live there now, she said.
"My father loved Tahlequah. My mother was his first love, I was his second and Tahlequah third," Burris said, "my mother and father were educators."
With a glance to the busy Sunday traffic outside Cort Mall along Muskogee Avenue, she said, "there was very little traffic here when I grew up, Main Street is longer than it used to be due to building."
Where Kimberly's is now used to be a soda fountain, Strauss and across the street was another one, Crew's, where Meig's is, and Hind's Department Store used to be, she said.
"We used to go there after school," Burris said, "and to the movies, Thompson, Sequoyah and Dream Theater in town and one drive-in. There were Saturday and Sunday matinees, it was our social hour."
Bagley was in the college Education Building. The high school had no cafeteria at that time, she said, "so we were allowed to walk into town, to Ideal Cafe with Judy Ward, she was a great cook and a character, the Red Man Shop
and Opal's Cafe, Tastee Freeze was another gathering place."
Paula and friends also shopped at Ben Franklins and Towry's Five and Dime.
There were a lot of parades. Burris grew up on a farm in the area where daughter Amber and son-in-law Buck have Spring Hollow Feeds now.
"I rode horses at home and in the parades," she said, the memory recalling happy times and putting a serene smile across her face, "and I was fortunate of having my dad as sixth grade teacher."
What she recalled, though was her only time to get in trouble with him, much to her surprise.
"We had old wood desks, the seats folded up and as I leaped over he came into the room. I knew I could talk him out of it," she said, "but it was the only spanking I ever had in school."
Sandy Fitzgerald-Nasturtium Garden Club - in May
Sandy Fitzgerald began her 2nd Sunday at 2 history talk on May 20 at Cort Mall with a question, "what is your idea of a garden club? Maybe a tea party in a garden, or socialites gossiping over coffee, talking about who knows who or what? Not!"
The May speaker of the monthly Arts Council of Tahlequah history and humanities series wove a funny and interesting picture of Tahlequah through its beautification progress from before statehood, then on to how volunteers today continue on that work.
A highlight of the year is a garden tour in June.
"To top off our year we have a tour right here in Tahlequah!," Fitzgerald said. "For our June meeting, we traditionally enjoy a yard and garden tour of three of our member’s gardens. It is fun to see different plant and yard art arrangements. We learn about using new plants and get ideas about landscaping with all shapes and sizes of plants."
The community is invited to participate in the tour, and encouraged to volunteer and learn more about gardening, she said.
"Fast forward today, another face of Garden Club: We love to learn about gardening," said Fitzgarald, from behind a fairy garden and yard glass art piece displayed on the table in front of her.
Hands-on programs have varied from pruning to propagating plants, to identifying drought tolerant plants.
"We have learned how to make our own rain barrels to catch rain water, how to identify and cook wild edible plants, how to use natural ingredients for organic mulch, how to keep bees for pollination and how to set up sprinkler systems in our home gardens," she said.
Workshops to make hypertuffa pots, colored glass garden sun catchers and fairy gardens have been popular, she said, "and fun to enjoy with kids and grand kids."
A plant exchange is part of every meeting, with members bringing free plants from home gardens to give to anyone that wants them.
And the group has visited gardening sites.
"We have had run-outs to OSU to visit their demonstration gardens, or to Tulsa Gardening Center to tour the Linnaus Teaching Garden," she said. "These are wonderful learning experiences!
All summer long, she said, "we love volunteering in gardens, wearing our GCT-shirts."
The Sequoyah City Park, the library gardens and curb-side bump-out gardens on Main Street bloom beautifully, and weed-free thanks to the efforts of volunteers with the club.
"We have recently planted three trees in the park at Bluff and Downing, planted multiple perennials and annuals on Main Street, weeded and mulched at the library, and we have done major weeding in the Hosta/Purple Heart garden at Bluff and Downing," said Fitzgerald, encouraging enthusiasm from passer's by for the volunteers. "We love it when you come by the gardens and honk and thank us. We would love it even more, if you would come join in the fun and volunteer with us."
Volunteers typically work on Thursday mornings all summer, or Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. for working adults.
"One does not have to be a member to come and help, while learning about gardening," she said.
As for the history, it began with a flourish from Fitzgerald's hand, like waving a wand so listeners were transported back in time.
First of all, the history of garden club is tied up with the history of Sequoyah Park and the Cherokee Nation, she said.
"In 1832, at the end of the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees selected Tahlequah as their capital because this area was an oasis, with plenty of water available, and it was in the beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains," she said.
During this time Sequoyah Park was a favorite gathering area for Cherokee visitors coming into town for tribal councils and the dispensing of justice, she said, "the Cherokee People camped along a fresh water spring in the park that is still alive and well and running and protected by a spring house."
The wide, shallow creek nearby now known as Town Branch was a favorite swimming and bathing area for the campers, said Fitzgerald.
"Today it is still enjoyed by all ages, especially kids, for wading and cooling off," she said. "Along both sides of the town branch, the area was preserved and named Sequoyah Park in honor of the great Cherokee silversmith who created the Cherokee alphabet."
By the 1900s eight garden clubs had emerged to help beautify the area, named after famous flowers such as Rose, Iris, Geraniums, and so forth. The Nasturtium Garden club, named after the nasturtium flower, was founded in 1932 during the great depression era.
"All the Garden clubs worked together to make the park look good for the benefit of Tahlequah and all its citizens," she said. "The hillside was divided up into eight areas and each garden club had a designated plot to keep the grass and saplings down and mainly planted small flowering trees, dogwood, crabapple, flowering peach and redbud among the indigenous trees already there."
To keep them alive, water had to be carried up the slopes during hot weather. Husbands and families of members helped to haul water. Eventually many of those original trees died. It was difficult to lug enough water up the steep hills to keep them alive during times of drought.
"Then the garden clubs had the idea to begin attending the city council meetings to request a watering system. Eventually their persistence paid off, and today all the gardens in the park have irrigation systems. This is why we are able to enjoy beautiful trees, bushes and flowers blooming in the park," Fitzgerald said.
From September through June the garden club meets at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women. Contact Fitzgerald at 918-931-1075. Read the rest of the history story of the Nasturtium Club at www.artscounciltahlequah.com
The rest of her story!!!
Over time 7 of the clubs stopped meeting as original members became too aged to perform the physical tasks needed to be active gardeners. During the 1970s and 80s Nasturtium Garden club began aggressively soliciting members from younger, more able-bodied age groups to continue the work they wished to accomplish.
Today members are working adults, work at home adults and retired adults, all working together, with a love of gardening, from Ft Gibson to Leach, to Little Kansas.
From the 1990s though 2005 the Nasturtium Garden Club, with the help of Charles Poteet, head of today’s park department, began to design and build many more gardens in the park. Garden club holds an appreciation lunch for him and his crew every December. The accomplishments of garden club in our city park would not have happened without his co-operation and assistance through the years, she said.
Garden Club would come up with the shape and dimensions of a proposed garden, (thanks mainly to her husband, David Fitzgerald,retired NSU Math professor.) He would draw it out on computer and we would then present the idea to Charles Poteet.
"Charles would get budget approval for the lumber and supplies, then have his crew build the new bed, install the watering system, and fill it with soil," she said.
Garden club would either purchase plants for the new garden, or receive them free from a plant nursery. With the help of the park dept, the guys would dig holes, and garden club would help get the plants out of pots and into the ground.
First Azalea Gardens were established, which cascaded all the way down the hill in several tiers, then a big garden on Bluff St was created, built around two ancient rock posts. We call it the Arch Bed because a six foot arch was designed (by her husband on his computer) then built and welded by D&Z Welding, and installed between the old posts. For this garden, plants were purchased from Green Country Gardens. Mr. Carol Germany, owner, came and laid out the design and 10 garden club members and friends helped plant the garden.
Gardens were added one after so that today there are over 20 different ones that bloom at different times all summer, to greatly add to the beauty of our city.
A couple of Fitzgerald's favorites are the 50 feet of Knock Out Roses along Bluff Street. All these roses were given to the city by Greenleaf Nursery. The park dept. dug holes and garden club helped plant the roses. Then there is the large garden of pink, rose and purple Crepe Myrtles at the corner of Shawnee and Bluff. These were purchased by garden club from Lowes in Muskogee before we had a Lowes in Tahlequah and planted by a crew from garden club.
A favorite of many are the large gardens at the corner of Bluff and Downing Streets, said Fitzgerald.
" This garden has been planted with Hostas, and Purple Heart and is graced by several dogwood trees in the middle," she said. "Today garden club helps with weeding, but the big heavy jobs, such as mulching all the gardens and pruning trees and bushes is done by the park dept crew. It is way too much heavy work for garden club. "
As for memberships, said Fitzgerald, "you will be surprised to know, our dues are only $10 per year and have been for as long as any of us can remember. A person can join at any time! We are not a money making organization, and dues are used to pay for signs for Yard of the Month signs and ink for Business Landscape Award certificates, and to reimburse members for workshop supplies."
From September through—June, meetings are at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m., to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women, and we have been lucky to have had several men in our membership through the years. Although not a member, Fitzgerald's husband also designed business cards, so they are lucky to have a willing volunteer in the computer dept who works for free, she said.
"We are a very friendly group, from all walks of life, and enjoy gardening, and learning and talking about gardening. We always welcome new members, so we can keep the gardening tradition going, and going in Tahlequah, otherwise we’ll be going, going gone!"
Contact Sandy Fitzgerald, Park beautification- Nasturtium Garden Club, 918-931-1075
April 2nd SUNDAY at 2 pm was Jennifer Frazee with Hunter's Home
Jennifer Frazee, on staff with Hunter's Home, was the featured 2nd Sunday at 2 speaker for April. April 8 at 2 p.m. at the Arts Council of Tahlequah (ACT) Art Gallery, the focus of Frazee's talk was over the history of Hunter's Home, the recent name change, and exciting changes in the future!
A Historical Interpreter II at Hunter's Home, Frazee develops living history and educational programming and curriculum as well as manages the care of collections. She received her Associates Degree at Connors State College before attending Northeastern State University, where she received her Bachelor's Degree in History and her Master of Arts degree in American Studies . Frazee has been at Hunter's Home, formerly the George M. Murrell Home Museum, for more than five years and enjoys bringing the history of the site alive for visitors and anyone else she can talk to. She is also on the board of the Arts Council of Tahlequah where she enjoys immersing herself in the local art of the community. Last year many of the painters with Plein Air Red Fern featured the Murrell Home in their art.
A speakers program started in September with a presentation by Beth Herrington, this monthly history and humanities series offers a unique and interesting topic of history each month, and will continue in May with Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
Entertaining those at June's 2nd Sunday at 2 series with stories of Tahlequah over the past 30 years, their marriage, youth and obvious affection for each other were Judge Lynn and Paula Burris.
This monthly history series sponsored by the Arts Council of Tahlequah features different aspects of mostly local history, by both historians and community members. Brad Agnew will be the July 8th speaker, with Ed Fite in August and Jay Hannah in September, kicking off the second year.
Judge Burris opted to speak first, with facts, "I don't know how much you all know about land, but there's been a lot of issues with land over the years. An abstract is a title to your land. All owners need a clean title of record, with no leans of question of ownership. Leans need a release or a quiet title. In the 30s, lots of lean companies went out of business."
"The court house had old characters, odors and smells. Some old characters used to get drunk in the old gazebo and gol to jail, Burris said. "Did you know in the 1920s the cupola burned? My father-in-law [Paul Tarkington] told me about how he was trying to help put out the fire and got put in jail? They kept alcohol up in the cupola so it really burned."
Did you remember in the late 20s the tornado in Peggs? Burris asked, "he was there helping, too."
Paula inserted, "my interest in history is from dad and the stories he told.
"I floated the river with Paula's dad for years, he had a beautiful canoe, and told me many stories and the names of the holes around 1919," said Burris, who also coached high school football and track for three years in Independence, Mo. before law school.
In May of 1979 the old court house was moved into current Cherokee County Court House, he said.
Originally from Muskogee, Burris graduated from law school in 1968 from the University of Oklahoma. He had already met Paula at Northeastern, and they returned here in the 1970s.
"I practiced law in the old juris prudence system, lay people could practice law then," he said.
Since then people have called me every year, "to ask me who to vote for."
"Judge Bill Bliss was our first district judge, I was the second the second district judge, all the district judges have come from the the district attorney's office, it's kind of unusual for it to be a stepping stone from the DAs office to judge," he said.
Now, he said, "I'm going to teach you to think outside the box."
"If you can't do math you have to see it, like a calendar, you can see math," Burris said. "It's important to read, read, read and do a little thinking."
What do December, decimal and decade have in common? he asked.
"Dec, meaning 10," he said, "and what do Julius Ceasar and Augustus Ceasar have in common? Months were named for them, July and August.
Peering a little farther into his past, Burris also shared a few memories of and family and football days.
"I had five sisters, there were six boys. I'm ninth and my twin tenth," he started.
They grew up in Muskogee."
"We were all at OU, they were state champs for several years. In the fall of 1954 I was there and part of the 1956 National Championship team," he said. "In January of '58 I came here [Tahlequah] to play football."
It was a lot of fun at OU, "we spent a lot of time practicing. I had a scholarship."
Football also taught life lessons, like winning and losing.
"There were good football players on both teams, but you could tell a winner by his demeanor after a game, not by who won or lost a game," Burris said. "When you win you don't look back. I looked back when we had a loss to see how people lose."
Bud Wilkinson taught character, Burris said, "and a fine gentleman."
Memories of growing up for Tahlequah native Paula Burris included fun times of youth.
Logan House was city hospital, James and Jane Bond live there now, she said.
"My father loved Tahlequah. My mother was his first love, I was his second and Tahlequah third," Burris said, "my mother and father were educators."
With a glance to the busy Sunday traffic outside Cort Mall along Muskogee Avenue, she said, "there was very little traffic here when I grew up, Main Street is longer than it used to be due to building."
Where Kimberly's is now used to be a soda fountain, Strauss and across the street was another one, Crew's, where Meig's is, and Hind's Department Store used to be, she said.
"We used to go there after school," Burris said, "and to the movies, Thompson, Sequoyah and Dream Theater in town and one drive-in. There were Saturday and Sunday matinees, it was our social hour."
Bagley was in the college Education Building. The high school had no cafeteria at that time, she said, "so we were allowed to walk into town, to Ideal Cafe with Judy Ward, she was a great cook and a character, the Red Man Shop
and Opal's Cafe, Tastee Freeze was another gathering place."
Paula and friends also shopped at Ben Franklins and Towry's Five and Dime.
There were a lot of parades. Burris grew up on a farm in the area where daughter Amber and son-in-law Buck have Spring Hollow Feeds now.
"I rode horses at home and in the parades," she said, the memory recalling happy times and putting a serene smile across her face, "and I was fortunate of having my dad as sixth grade teacher."
What she recalled, though was her only time to get in trouble with him, much to her surprise.
"We had old wood desks, the seats folded up and as I leaped over he came into the room. I knew I could talk him out of it," she said, "but it was the only spanking I ever had in school."
Sandy Fitzgerald-Nasturtium Garden Club - in May
Sandy Fitzgerald began her 2nd Sunday at 2 history talk on May 20 at Cort Mall with a question, "what is your idea of a garden club? Maybe a tea party in a garden, or socialites gossiping over coffee, talking about who knows who or what? Not!"
The May speaker of the monthly Arts Council of Tahlequah history and humanities series wove a funny and interesting picture of Tahlequah through its beautification progress from before statehood, then on to how volunteers today continue on that work.
A highlight of the year is a garden tour in June.
"To top off our year we have a tour right here in Tahlequah!," Fitzgerald said. "For our June meeting, we traditionally enjoy a yard and garden tour of three of our member’s gardens. It is fun to see different plant and yard art arrangements. We learn about using new plants and get ideas about landscaping with all shapes and sizes of plants."
The community is invited to participate in the tour, and encouraged to volunteer and learn more about gardening, she said.
"Fast forward today, another face of Garden Club: We love to learn about gardening," said Fitzgarald, from behind a fairy garden and yard glass art piece displayed on the table in front of her.
Hands-on programs have varied from pruning to propagating plants, to identifying drought tolerant plants.
"We have learned how to make our own rain barrels to catch rain water, how to identify and cook wild edible plants, how to use natural ingredients for organic mulch, how to keep bees for pollination and how to set up sprinkler systems in our home gardens," she said.
Workshops to make hypertuffa pots, colored glass garden sun catchers and fairy gardens have been popular, she said, "and fun to enjoy with kids and grand kids."
A plant exchange is part of every meeting, with members bringing free plants from home gardens to give to anyone that wants them.
And the group has visited gardening sites.
"We have had run-outs to OSU to visit their demonstration gardens, or to Tulsa Gardening Center to tour the Linnaus Teaching Garden," she said. "These are wonderful learning experiences!
All summer long, she said, "we love volunteering in gardens, wearing our GCT-shirts."
The Sequoyah City Park, the library gardens and curb-side bump-out gardens on Main Street bloom beautifully, and weed-free thanks to the efforts of volunteers with the club.
"We have recently planted three trees in the park at Bluff and Downing, planted multiple perennials and annuals on Main Street, weeded and mulched at the library, and we have done major weeding in the Hosta/Purple Heart garden at Bluff and Downing," said Fitzgerald, encouraging enthusiasm from passer's by for the volunteers. "We love it when you come by the gardens and honk and thank us. We would love it even more, if you would come join in the fun and volunteer with us."
Volunteers typically work on Thursday mornings all summer, or Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. for working adults.
"One does not have to be a member to come and help, while learning about gardening," she said.
As for the history, it began with a flourish from Fitzgerald's hand, like waving a wand so listeners were transported back in time.
First of all, the history of garden club is tied up with the history of Sequoyah Park and the Cherokee Nation, she said.
"In 1832, at the end of the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees selected Tahlequah as their capital because this area was an oasis, with plenty of water available, and it was in the beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains," she said.
During this time Sequoyah Park was a favorite gathering area for Cherokee visitors coming into town for tribal councils and the dispensing of justice, she said, "the Cherokee People camped along a fresh water spring in the park that is still alive and well and running and protected by a spring house."
The wide, shallow creek nearby now known as Town Branch was a favorite swimming and bathing area for the campers, said Fitzgerald.
"Today it is still enjoyed by all ages, especially kids, for wading and cooling off," she said. "Along both sides of the town branch, the area was preserved and named Sequoyah Park in honor of the great Cherokee silversmith who created the Cherokee alphabet."
By the 1900s eight garden clubs had emerged to help beautify the area, named after famous flowers such as Rose, Iris, Geraniums, and so forth. The Nasturtium Garden club, named after the nasturtium flower, was founded in 1932 during the great depression era.
"All the Garden clubs worked together to make the park look good for the benefit of Tahlequah and all its citizens," she said. "The hillside was divided up into eight areas and each garden club had a designated plot to keep the grass and saplings down and mainly planted small flowering trees, dogwood, crabapple, flowering peach and redbud among the indigenous trees already there."
To keep them alive, water had to be carried up the slopes during hot weather. Husbands and families of members helped to haul water. Eventually many of those original trees died. It was difficult to lug enough water up the steep hills to keep them alive during times of drought.
"Then the garden clubs had the idea to begin attending the city council meetings to request a watering system. Eventually their persistence paid off, and today all the gardens in the park have irrigation systems. This is why we are able to enjoy beautiful trees, bushes and flowers blooming in the park," Fitzgerald said.
From September through June the garden club meets at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women. Contact Fitzgerald at 918-931-1075. Read the rest of the history story of the Nasturtium Club at www.artscounciltahlequah.com
The rest of her story!!!
Over time 7 of the clubs stopped meeting as original members became too aged to perform the physical tasks needed to be active gardeners. During the 1970s and 80s Nasturtium Garden club began aggressively soliciting members from younger, more able-bodied age groups to continue the work they wished to accomplish.
Today members are working adults, work at home adults and retired adults, all working together, with a love of gardening, from Ft Gibson to Leach, to Little Kansas.
From the 1990s though 2005 the Nasturtium Garden Club, with the help of Charles Poteet, head of today’s park department, began to design and build many more gardens in the park. Garden club holds an appreciation lunch for him and his crew every December. The accomplishments of garden club in our city park would not have happened without his co-operation and assistance through the years, she said.
Garden Club would come up with the shape and dimensions of a proposed garden, (thanks mainly to her husband, David Fitzgerald,retired NSU Math professor.) He would draw it out on computer and we would then present the idea to Charles Poteet.
"Charles would get budget approval for the lumber and supplies, then have his crew build the new bed, install the watering system, and fill it with soil," she said.
Garden club would either purchase plants for the new garden, or receive them free from a plant nursery. With the help of the park dept, the guys would dig holes, and garden club would help get the plants out of pots and into the ground.
First Azalea Gardens were established, which cascaded all the way down the hill in several tiers, then a big garden on Bluff St was created, built around two ancient rock posts. We call it the Arch Bed because a six foot arch was designed (by her husband on his computer) then built and welded by D&Z Welding, and installed between the old posts. For this garden, plants were purchased from Green Country Gardens. Mr. Carol Germany, owner, came and laid out the design and 10 garden club members and friends helped plant the garden.
Gardens were added one after so that today there are over 20 different ones that bloom at different times all summer, to greatly add to the beauty of our city.
A couple of Fitzgerald's favorites are the 50 feet of Knock Out Roses along Bluff Street. All these roses were given to the city by Greenleaf Nursery. The park dept. dug holes and garden club helped plant the roses. Then there is the large garden of pink, rose and purple Crepe Myrtles at the corner of Shawnee and Bluff. These were purchased by garden club from Lowes in Muskogee before we had a Lowes in Tahlequah and planted by a crew from garden club.
A favorite of many are the large gardens at the corner of Bluff and Downing Streets, said Fitzgerald.
" This garden has been planted with Hostas, and Purple Heart and is graced by several dogwood trees in the middle," she said. "Today garden club helps with weeding, but the big heavy jobs, such as mulching all the gardens and pruning trees and bushes is done by the park dept crew. It is way too much heavy work for garden club. "
As for memberships, said Fitzgerald, "you will be surprised to know, our dues are only $10 per year and have been for as long as any of us can remember. A person can join at any time! We are not a money making organization, and dues are used to pay for signs for Yard of the Month signs and ink for Business Landscape Award certificates, and to reimburse members for workshop supplies."
From September through—June, meetings are at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m., to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women, and we have been lucky to have had several men in our membership through the years. Although not a member, Fitzgerald's husband also designed business cards, so they are lucky to have a willing volunteer in the computer dept who works for free, she said.
"We are a very friendly group, from all walks of life, and enjoy gardening, and learning and talking about gardening. We always welcome new members, so we can keep the gardening tradition going, and going in Tahlequah, otherwise we’ll be going, going gone!"
Contact Sandy Fitzgerald, Park beautification- Nasturtium Garden Club, 918-931-1075
April 2nd SUNDAY at 2 pm was Jennifer Frazee with Hunter's Home
Jennifer Frazee, on staff with Hunter's Home, was the featured 2nd Sunday at 2 speaker for April. April 8 at 2 p.m. at the Arts Council of Tahlequah (ACT) Art Gallery, the focus of Frazee's talk was over the history of Hunter's Home, the recent name change, and exciting changes in the future!
A Historical Interpreter II at Hunter's Home, Frazee develops living history and educational programming and curriculum as well as manages the care of collections. She received her Associates Degree at Connors State College before attending Northeastern State University, where she received her Bachelor's Degree in History and her Master of Arts degree in American Studies . Frazee has been at Hunter's Home, formerly the George M. Murrell Home Museum, for more than five years and enjoys bringing the history of the site alive for visitors and anyone else she can talk to. She is also on the board of the Arts Council of Tahlequah where she enjoys immersing herself in the local art of the community. Last year many of the painters with Plein Air Red Fern featured the Murrell Home in their art.
A speakers program started in September with a presentation by Beth Herrington, this monthly history and humanities series offers a unique and interesting topic of history each month, and will continue in May with Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
March 2nd Sunday at 2 speaker was Dr. Harold Aldridge, who performed and discussed History of Blues.
Sunday, March 11 at 2 at Cort Mall, the sixth in the series of history and humanities programs.
The new ACT program offers a unique and interesting speaker each month, and will continue in April with Cultural Interpreter Jennifer Frazee with the Murrell Home, Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club in May, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new ACT Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
Sunday, March 11 at 2 at Cort Mall, the sixth in the series of history and humanities programs.
The new ACT program offers a unique and interesting speaker each month, and will continue in April with Cultural Interpreter Jennifer Frazee with the Murrell Home, Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club in May, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new ACT Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.