Collection on the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary
Description of Contents
Promotional materials, historical information, publications, correspondence, and photographs related to the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary in Theodore Wirth Regional Park. Materials of note include correspondence and publications by Eloise Butler, records of the Eloise Butler Memorial Association's efforts to erect a plaque in honor of Butler, and materials from the Friends of the Wildflower Garden. Photographs in this collection were likely removed from a scrapbook, as most are labelled with plate numbers and flower names. The photos are undated, but may date to the 1920s or 1930s.
Dates
- 1910 - 2002
Access Restrictions
The collection is available for use in Special Collections during the department's open hours.
Biographical / Historical
The Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden was created by the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners (now the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board) in 1907 as the first public wildflower garden in the United States. In 1929, the garden was named in honor of retired botany teacher Eloise Butler. Butler was among those who petitioned for the garden's creation, and she became its caretaker and champion. First working as a volunteer, Butler was hired as the garden's first curator in 1911. Eloise Butler died in 1933.
The Friends of the Wildflower Garden, founded in 1951, helps fund the upkeep of the garden.
Extent
0.46 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Donor Information
This collection was compiled by library staff over several years. Known donors include the Eloise Butler Memorial Association and the Gray Memorial Chapter of the Agassiz Association.
- Butler, Eloise
- Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary (Minneapolis, Minn.)
- Gardens Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
- Native plant gardening Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Parks -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Wild flowers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Collection on the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jenna Jacobs
- Date
- April 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Hennepin County Library Special Collections Repository
Minneapolis Central Library
300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis MN 55401 U.S.A.
612-543-8200
specialcoll@hclib.org
