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The History of The Cedar Valley Arboretum - 1995

Paul Kammerdiner • Aug 14, 2021
Beginning more than 25 years ago, a group began to transform a livestock pasture and corn fields into an Arboretum and Botanic Garden, this is a story of the people that make this place.
Along the way new people have joined in, as some are no longer involved for all of life’s varied reasons. It is my hope that the story will always be on-going.  

The information came from documents and photos found crammed in old file cabinets in the barn. I have done my best to assure that the information is correct, however, there may well be inaccuracies, they are not intentional. There are some assumptions made from the pictorial record and again these may not be accurate, however, whenever possible, I used what notes are with the photos and such documents I could find. The purpose is to make as cohesive an account as these sources allow. If there are names on the pictures, I will include them, but there will be many people in the photos that I don’t know and are not named. I want to show them anyway, this is a story and stories need to be about people. If you recognize yourself or someone you know and they, or you, are not named, it is because I don’t have that information, forgive me for that, no slight is intended.

The format style is on purpose; that is, some verbiage interrupted by photos, sometimes, the pictures are the narrative, so there are some groups of photos that are self-explanatory. At times I will make comparisons of the historical record to present day, mostly so those readers whom may be new to the Arboretum can gain some perspective and also because it is fun to see how far we have come.

According to an interview with Jan Guthrie and Maurine Crisp; in the late 1980’s local gardening enthusiasts Dick Meyerhoff and Fred Button suggested starting various clubs throughout the Cedar Valley devoted to growing things. They would include organizations like the Men’s Garden Club, the African Violet Club, and the Herb Club.

This is a quote from a Green Scene newsletter attributed to one of the original “Arboretum “idea” people- Dick Meyerhoff.
“Several years ago, after a trip to the Dubuque Botanical Gardens, Dick asked the question, why not here? One of the first stages in the development of the Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens occurred when Dick organized the Cedar Valley Herb Club and African Violet Club. He believed these garden enthusiasts would assist in building support for the Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens.”

Then in 1994, according to a document in our records titled; Cedar Valley Botanical Garden Proposal, a concept was being developed to combine these activities into an actual public space. The organizers listed on this document are; Kelly Conrad, Tom Lawler, and Ron Camarata. 

This concept was later modified and others contacted such as; Waterloo and Cedar Falls Parks Departments, Cedar Valley Men’s Garden Club, UNI Preserve Alliance League, the Herb Club, Hawkeye Community College, Iowa State Extension, Harmony House Horticulture Program, and Green Scene. 
In keeping with the modified concept, six sites were considered as candidates for the site. Eventually one was chosen and planning meetings could begin like the one in these photos.

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·        A task force is formed to further develop the idea of a public green space in the Cedar Valley. This task force included; Charles Lott, Kelly Conrad, Joy Swartz, Jolene Rosauer, Rosemary Beach, Jan Guthrie, Craig Gibleon, Wanda Sauerbrei, Leila George, and Maurine Crisp.

·        An agreement is reached with Green Scene to use their non-profit status to begin to fund raise and create public awareness of the desire to create the Arboretum. In exchange the Arboretum would provide space for Green Scene to keep plant material.

·        A town hall meeting is held March 27, 1995 to gain public interest. Approximately 100 people attend.

·        In April of the same year a newsletter is sent out via Green Scene introducing the concept of an Arboretum.

·        . By the summer of 1995 Tom Lawler an attorney from Parkersburg has assisted in the signing of a 99-year lease with the college. The site is just to the east of the college campus on Orange Road

·        In September the Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanical Gardens at Hawkeye Community College receives its own non-profit organization status.

·        October of 1995 the official ground-breaking ceremony takes place. Also Dr. Barry president of Hawkeye Community College holds a large luncheon to announce the creation of the Arboretum. Many community leaders attend and a tree donated by Bob Frost is symbolically planted. The only access to the site at this time was from Orange Road via a small entry to the service area for the tower, so this tree was planted in that area.

This is the symbolic planting of the tree: From left to right: Charlie Lott, Jan Guthrie, Kenneth Allbaugh, Dr. Berry

 

Ground-breaking ceremony

This is the site as it looked in late 1995; As a frame of reference: to the right of the photo is North. The red line then runs from its’ tip, East on what is E. Orange Road and turns North on Hess Road. Arboretum land then turns West at the green crops at the right edge of the photo and continues to where the buildings are. These buildings are the college. In 1995 there was not yet a road West from Hess, but one will be added in the next couple of years and will be called Arboretum drive. As a result, the Arboretum will be encompassed by Orange Road to the South, Arboretum Drive on the North, Hess Road on the East and Campus View Drive on the West. The Arboretum has come into existence!

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