History of the Camden Garden Club

In 1915 a group of women met several times in March to plan the formation of a “Garden Club” or “Civic Betterment Club” that would promote the appearance of the Camden area. On July 20th, an organizational meeting was held at the home of Miss Idalette Carpenter. Elected president of this new group was Miss Emma Alden, with Mrs. Carrie Hodgman as first vice-president and Miss Idalette Carpenter as the second vice-president. Mrs. Alice Tufts was elected secretary and Miss Juliet Patterson the treasurer. One of their projects was a flower-garden competition for school children, with the gardens being built on the school grounds. Some 50 children participated in this program; and in September, prizes of books and magazines were awarded to three children from each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.

On April 28th, 1925 the Camden Garden Club held its first meeting of the season. Mr. Edward Bok, whose son Cary had been most impressed with the lamppost flower boxes he had seem in Lymington, England, offered to have similar boxes prepared for Camden if the Garden Club would assume responsibility for their care and upkeep. A local blacksmith, named Frank Alexander, made the baskets and the first was put in place on Elm St. in front of Chandlers Pharmacy. The club approved the project, and the first flowerbox appeared on the light pole in mid-June of that year. By mid-summer all the poles in the downtown area were sporting boxes of flowers.

In 1931 the Camden Garden Club, with four other clubs, organized the Garden Club Federation of Maine. In 1947, the Camden Garden Club held its first House and Garden Tour with ten sites visited by about 500 people.

Today, The Camden Garden Club is the oldest Garden Club in Maine, and its annual garden tour has become so popular many tourists plan their vacations around it. The club's goal of preserving and beautifying the public spaces of Camden continues with it's current members.