1933 History
of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

When she left Malden on March 31, Eloise had been unsuccessful in her endeavor of the last few years to find a successor. She returned to her Minneapolis lodgings at the J. W. Babcock house (located just east of the Garden at 227 Xerxes Ave. No.) on April 3 1933. As he usually did, Mr. Babcock notified her Garden helper Lloyd Teeuwen, that she had returned but Eloise wanted to rest a few days after the long train ride from the east coast as she was “not used to walking a lot yet.”

Several days later Lloyd came to the house and carted down to the Garden office the assortment of books from her library at Babcocks that she wanted in the Garden and also the Garden’s tools which were kept in the Babcock carriage house over the winter. Then they took the first walk of the year through the Garden where Eloise inspected all the areas to see what was what. She walked very slowly so Lloyd kept behind her to not outrun her. Eloise remarked how enthusiastic she was to be back outside where she could do something because in Boston nobody wanted to do anything.

The only work she noted in her Garden Log was planting Swamp Candles Lysimachia terrestris on April 8 on the north side of the Mallard Pool. These had been heeled in during the winter. (2)

On the wet morning of April 10, 1933 she attempted to reach the Garden from the house . She apparently suffered a heart attack and got back to Babcocks. A doctor was summoned but nothing could be done and she soon passed away on the couch in the entryway of the house at 3:15 PM. Her funeral was on April 12th, 12:45 PM at the Lakewood Chapel. On May 5th, her ashes were scattered in the Garden (around the little office) as had been her wish. The details of her death, including the long-held mis-belief that she died in the Garden, are covered in our short history of her life. The Minneapolis Journal printed a front page notice of her passing. (PDF)

The Garden was closed until April 20th. During that time the Park Board had to find a person to attend to the Garden. Martha Crone, although highly recommended, had not originally been a shoo-in for the job as Eloise had corresponded with Mrs. Frazer about the job, but she was looking for somewhat different work (3) (and see notes in Winter section). With Eloise now gone, Martha Crone met with Parks Superintendent Theodore Wirth at his office on April 13. (1). On the 18th Theodore Wirth wrote to the Board of Park Commissioners that he had appointed Martha temporary Curator during the balance of the season or such other time thereof as seems advisable and satisfactory, from date to October 1, 1933 at a salary of $60 per month. [The position would remain temporary until 1940.] The board approved the appointment on the 19th.(4) On the 19th her husband Bill received a call from Wirth for Martha to be at the Garden the next day, where she met with Wirth, Wirth’s assistant C. A. Bossen, Mr. Babcock (Eloise's Landlord who would see that possessions belong to Eloise were sent back to Malden) and Mr. Erickson (Carl - park keeper for Glenwood Park). She opened the office and she and Miss Merkert, Wirth’s secretary, began taking inventory. (1) There is a copy of that inventory in the records of the Martha Crone Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society.

On April 21, a Saturday, Martha was in the Garden in the morning, and went home at noon. During these first days of her tenure the Garden was not open for a set time as she arranged her affairs so that she could be there as required - every day, except Wednesday, till 5 PM - April 1 through September 30. (1)

On the 23rd Martha noted that there was a steady stream of visitors all day (all the newspapers had reported the death of Eloise Butler) and that there were many fires near the Garden and at 6 PM there was a fire on the west boundary of the Garden and Martha fought 1-1/2 hours to put it out. Dr. Thomas S. Roberts had visited that same day and again on the 30th. (1)

On the 29th someone brought in the knarl of a red elm. It was “planned to saw it through the center making two tables for the Garden in memory of Miss Butler.”

Back on April 19, Theodore Wirth had sent a letter to the Park Commissioners notifying them of the death of Eloise Butler, a little about her history, and set May 5, Arbor Day, as the date for a remembrance ceremony at the Garden and also got the ball rolling on the commemorative tablet that was placed one year later. These details were also reported in the newspaper. (4) It is not unusual that the accomplishments of an individual are more clearly understood after that person has passed on. While certain people are "in-the-know" about what an individual is accomplishing, it is only after death, when congratulations are too late that the rest of world becomes aware of the qualities of the individual whose life is now past. Theodore Wirth was probably the first to craft a brief but informative statement about the role Eloise Butler had taken on and played with such accomplishment.

On the 28th he followed up with a memorandum detailing the events of May 5th. (memorandum).

The commemorative tablet that Wirth mentioned on April 19 was reported again in the newspaper in an article announcing the upcoming ceremony. The Minneapolis Tribune stated on May 4 "Near the little cabin that served as her office the commissioners will stand about and scatter her ashes among the flowers she loved. They will plant a young oak in her memory, knowing that before long her former botany students will have subscribed enough for a bronze tablet to commemorate the occasion and to perpetuate her name.” The article reported that the commissioners visited the Garden on Wednesday afternoon of May 3. [Perhaps it was the first time for many.] "They inspected the growths, the cabin, paused at the bird bath of stone, noted the bird houses, and agreed that the wildflower garden was a place of serene and peaceful beauty."

That same day Martha sent her letter of acceptance of the position to Wirth. Workmen were in on the 4th, bringing a Pin Oak and a small Honey Locust which were set in the ground but not covered. (1)

Below: Two newspaper photos of Park Board members visiting the Garden on May 3, 1933. Left: At the 1917 Stone birdbath in the Garden - (l to r) Alfred F. Pillsbury, president; Lucien C. Miller and Francis A. Gross. Right: At the entrance to the Garden is Superintendent of operations and maintenance of the Park Board Christian A. Bossen. Both Minneapolis Tribune photos.

Above: The entrance sign to the Garden reads: Native Plant Reserve - Open April to October - Every Day except Wednesday - Hours 9 to 11:45 AM 1 to 5 PM - Sundays 10 to 12 1 to 5 PM - Keep on the path - Pick neither leaf nor flower - Deposit no rubbish - Dogs not allowed in Reserve.
The sign had never been updated for the change of Garden name in 1929 to the Eloise Butler Wild Flower Garden.

On May 5th a tire was stolen from the Crone’s car and Martha arrived a bit stressed. She received her first paycheck ($22) that day. Superintendent Wirth was in the Garden all morning, and at 4PM the Board of Park Commissioners and about 100 friends of Eloise Butler gathered at the Garden for the remembrance ceremony. (1)

Above: Finalizing the planting of the Pin Oak: (l to r) Alfred F. Pillsbury, President of the Board of Park Commissioners; Theodore Wirth, Superintendent of Parks; Francis A. Gross, Vice President of the Board.

Park Board President A. F. Pillsbury opened the ceremony with these words:

“We have gathered here today to do honor to one who was the moving spirit in the establishment and care of this unique and interesting garden. Being a great lover of nature, an especially of wild flowers and plant life, it was her desire that one part of our park system should be left in its natural condition and devoted to the wild flowers and birds of our state. Under her loving care for many years, this garden has become famous and given pleasure to many. In the presence of friends and to her memory we have planted this rare tree, and in accordance with her wishes we now, with respect and admiration, distribute the ashes of Miss Eloise Butler over the ground she loved so well.”

President Pillsbury was then given by Martha Crone, a cardboard box holding the ashes of Miss Butler and he then began to spread the ashes first around the base of the tree and then in the area on all sides of the little office building. Some of the ash was wafted farther by the breeze. The audience looked on in silence. The only sound was that of Mr. Pillsbury moving through the growths.

Martha Crone and Theodore Wirth spoke last. Martha Crone read Eloise Butler's last report to the Park Board. General Superintendent Wirth in a few brief remarks called attention to the fact that the pin oak had long been a favorite of Miss Butler’s and for this reason had been chosen as the tree to be dedicated in her services. He suggested that a year from today this same group of friends gather to place a bronze tablet on a boulder near the tree to perpetuate the dedication, and those friends then made preparation to raise the funds necessary for this purpose.

In the days following the ceremony Martha took care of Garden duties, planting the seeds and plants that had accumulated from Eloise Butlers previous arrangements. The Garden looked good - on May 14 she noted “Mobs at garden in afternoon, trilliums beautiful, also mertensia.”(1)

On the 15th Mrs. Cram (Gertrude Cram) was in, then Mrs. Phelps and Miss Leavitt - all friends of Eloise Butler. All three and Martha would be on a committee to provide the script for the memorial tablet for Eloise Butler (PDF of Committee details).

The organization formed was called the Eloise Butler Memorial Association. There were several suggested dedications which were submitted to Martha Crone for her approval and for her to sample the preferences of Garden visitors as to the wording. A fund raising campaign was initiated with the suggested donation being limited to no more than one dollar. The Association felt that they must raise the funds independently so as to "prove to Mr. Wirth and the Park board that the Reserve (The Wild Flower Garden) has many friends." The dedication wording recommended by the committee was approved by Martha and all interested others and the bronze tablet was cast, using the design of a Mr. Melchior of Flour City Iron Works and installed in 1934.

On the 18th Theodore Wirth’s secretary, Miss Merkert was in to sort out the books in the office that had been the domain of Eloise Butler - the books belonging to Eloise were being sent back to the Butler relatives at Malden MA.

May 20 was not a good day - Bill Crone was driving Martha to the Garden when they were in an accident at Lowry and James. Martha sprained an ankle and skinned an elbow but nevertheless arrived at the Garden by 9:15 AM. Due to the dry spring weather there was a dust storm on the 23rd - no Garden visitors. On the 25th Martha closed the Garden at 3 so as to get down to the main Minneapolis Library for a meeting on the memorial for Eloise.

Back on 23rd April Gertrude Cram had send a note of introduction to Martha. Mrs. Cram then ends with this comment about Martha: “She (Eloise) said ‘you really should know her; she is a wild flower crank like you.’ That tells us both what to expect, doesn’t it?” (5)

One of the purposes for plants collected and planted by Martha in 1933 was the completion of the planting around the Mallard Pool area that had been started by Eloise Butler in 1932. (details) In 1932 Eloise Butler’s design for this pool area had been accomplished and she had started the planting from her list of desired plants. Martha’s May and June collecting trips, especially to areas around Anoka were to secure plants needed for the pool area. In that era one could still dig up plants in open areas without much restriction, even on street corners.

Martha was well known in the area for her plant collecting efforts. She did what Eloise had done - search the wild for suitable specimens and get permission to retrieve them if permission was necessary; rescue them when the habitat was about to be destroyed; receive donations of plants from friends; and plant seeds for new plants.

Many school groups toured the Garden in late May to early June. (1) May was a rainy month, June turned dry and historically hot.