Historical Highlights
1930 OAGC founded by Professor Victor H. Ries, of The Ohio State University; first issue of The Garden Path was published the fall of 1930
1931 First flower show held in Columbus; first convention held October 7, 1931 at the Neil House, 325 members attended; OAGC had 80 clubs with over 25% from the Cincinnati area
1933 First judges’ school held; OAGC had 158 clubs; Flower Shows, written by Victor H. Ries published and used in the flower show schools; The Garden Path first published
1934 Professor Ries elected as secretary of The Association, a position he held until 1960
1937 The 8 original districts were increased to 14 (there was no district 13 and districts 14 and 15 were combined); 11 sets of “Lantern” slides were available for rent for $1.00 each
1941 347 clubs with 9640 members statewide
1943 OAGC became a member of the Ohio Victory Garden Council and sponsored a state-wide coordinated Victory Garden program; the Constitution was revised to “all terms of office are for two years and no board member shall hold office more than two years except the secretary and the treasurer”; due to WW II, convention was not held
1945 Nature Study Camp was created with Mrs. Carmen Warner as first president; OAGC seal designed by Mark Russell, an outstanding Ohio Gardener and artist; judges’ school held
1946 Junior Garden Club department was formed; Grace Ray Moon became The Garden Path editor, a position she held for 20 years, hand addressing and mailing each issue from her home; second judges’ school completed with 89 judges accredited
1947 Publicity contest was established; OAGC had 411 clubs with 12,347 members
1948 Flowering crabapple tree project began with 5,000 trees being planted along U.S. highways 25, 31 and 33 from Toledo to Pomeroy; illustrated Garden Record compiled by Mrs. Frank Garry
1950 The “Johnny Appleseed Trailway” dedication ceremonies were held at the annual convention, thus naming the crabapple trail from Toledo to Pomeroy; first flower show held in conjunction with convention; Victor H. Ries Outstanding Garden Club Award established in honor of Professor Ries’ 20 years of service
1951 Awards were given to outstanding regional gardeners; OAGC established the Typical Junior Gardener Contest and Outstanding Junior Garden Club award
1952 Bylaws were amended to include Regional Directors as official state officers; office of OAGC state second vice president established; The Garden Path editor term could exceed two years; state chairs increased to include: OAGC Promotion and Awards, State Fair and Nature and Conservation; “Lantern” slides became the Kodachrome Slide Contest, 67 slide sets were available for club use; Regional Outstanding Gardener award renamed Christine Traquair Award honoring Mrs. Traquair for 22 years serving as treasurer and a charter member; Ohio launched “Plant Ohio” tree planting campaign, with Mrs. Rex Moreland serving on the committee which resulted in planting 25 million trees throughout Ohio
1953 An OAGC goal was the elimination of Ohio’s roadside billboards; President’s Handbook revised; OAGC had 18,382 members in 635 clubs
1954 County Fair Flower Show contest created
1955 OAGC’s 25th Anniversary; President Daisy Sticksel gave the motto “Knowing, Growing, Showing and Sharing”; Greenfield Publishing Company chosen to publish The Garden Path and maintained the address file; Ohio Governor Lausche legalized the naming of Johnny Appleseed Highway begun in 1948; Region16 formed by taking portions of Regions 3, 4 and 5
1956 The Victor H. Ries Fellowship Fund for graduate students in Floriculture was created at The Ohio State University (administered by OSU); The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs Handbook was revised; OAGC had 900 clubs and 20,000 members; the Master Gardener Award is created; office of OAGC state third vice president is established
1957 OAGC endorsed and participated in the Anti- Litter Campaigns; Ohio tax-stamp refunds earmarked for the Johnny Appleseed Highway; Professor Ries retires from OSU
1959 OAGC incorporated; districts were renamed Regions to correspond with the term “Regional Director”; Exhibitors’ & Judges’ Handbook published; Flower Show Handbook published
1960 Service Award was established recognizing members who give outstanding service to OAGC; OAGC Handbook for Garden Clubs revised; Garden Therapy Department created
1961 OAGC entered into an agreement with the Ohio Historical Society regarding Wahkeena, property of Carmen Warner, an OAGC member who willed the property to the Ohio Historical Society; OAGC raised $20,000 which was donated to Wahkeena; first Gardeners Day Out was held in Xenia
1962 Gardening Manual and the Flower Arrangement Book #1 published; Daisy Sticksel Conservation Award created; Victor H. Ries Fellowship Fund at OSU topped the goal of $40,000; OAGC received a grant from Sears, Roebuck and Co. for public beautification purposes which continued to 1974; OAGC state assistant secretary position created; OAGC began supervision of flower show at the Ohio State Fair
1965 Top Flight Gardener program begun; “Plants a Gardener Should Know” pamphlet printed
1967 Flower Arrangements #2 printed; zip codes are required for mailing The Garden Path
1968 Published a Flower Arrangement Calendar book; Revised OAGC Handbook for Garden Clubs
1969 OAGC published another calendar book both in conjunction with Hearthside Press; the American Horticultural Medal was first offered
1970 Revised Exhibitors’ & Judges’ Handbook
1971 Published our own OAGC calendar book
1972 President Mrs. Paul W. Reed established the Reed Award for a junior for the study of birds
1973 OAGC sold 63,000 spruce seedlings, 2,500 dogwood whips and 2,500 tulip poplars
1974 Past President Mrs. Kenneth (Gladys) Thomas established the Gladys Thomas Award honoring outstanding judges; OAGC Founder Victor H. Ries died; OAGC Handbook for Garden Clubs was revised; sold 110,000 fir and redbud seedlings
1976 Knowing, Showing and Sharing Ohio Wildflowers published by OAGC, an idea began in 1965; Flower Arrangements #3 printed; “Garden for the Senses” at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio began; OAGC sold 25,000 scotch pine seedlings
1977 2nd edition of Knowing, Showing and Sharing Ohio Wildflowers printed; President Nadine Elder created the Ohio State University Horticulture Scholarship; Christine Traquair Award renamed Regional Outstanding Amateur Gardener Award; Regional Outstanding Garden Club Member Award established
1978 Victor H. Ries Memorial Garden created at the Benjamin Wegerzyn Garden Center, Dayton, Ohio; 1st bulb sale with the Dutch Bulb Company held
1979 Ground breaking ceremony held to develop 5 acres for “Garden for the Senses” at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
1980 50th Anniversary of OAGC celebrated by a tree sale of 15,700 spruce and pine seedlings; OAGC had 565 clubs with 11,000 members and 99 accredited flower show judges; Region 3 had the most clubs, Region 9 had most members; recognized 23 OAGC clubs organized for 50 years; revised Exhibitors’ and Judges’ Handbook
1982 Completed project of “Garden for the Senses” at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio; revamped The Garden Path layout and its logo
1983 Computerized membership mailing and moved the printing of The Garden Path to Ohio Valley Printing Company at Gallipolis, Ohio
1984 OAGC Endowment Fund established; revised OAGC Handbook for Garden Clubs; established the Regional Outstanding Garden Club contest; Shedenhelm Award created by Mrs. Paul Shedenhelm for juniors interested in nature and conservation; Home Flower Show contest established
1985 OAGC Foundation became a reality; 1st bus tour – Nashville, Tennessee – two buses
1986 1st monetary gift to the OAGC Foundation from Fenske Estate; bus tour - Philadelphia Flower Show - one bus; VHS tapes added to slide library
1987 Bus tour - Callaway Gardens - four buses; executive committee met with dignitaries from AmeriFlora to see how OAGC could become involved; 1st OAGC Foundation Scholarship awarded
1988 OAGC tour - Hawaii - group of 20; OAGC clubs participated in the planting of gardens at the Ohio State Fair Fairgrounds with gardens judged and monetary gifts awarded; Cedar Bog boardwalk project completed
1989 Bus tour - Charleston, SC - four buses; Mary Alice Earhart Award established for Adult Best of Show in horticulture at Convention
1990 Alice Dallas’ book Alpha to Omega published; Bus tour - Canada, Boston, etc. - five buses; Membership Incentive Award established by Jan Harmon and Ruth Waller
1991 19 clubs participated in the Ohio State Fair Fairgrounds beautification project/contest; Public Beautification certificates created
1992 AmeriFlora ‘92 held in Columbus, Ohio, at Franklin Park; $25,000 raised in monetary and planting donations to plant OAGC-sponsored gardens; Mohican School in the Out-of-Doors new OAGC project, $25,000 goal; Bus tour - Williamsburg, Roanoke, Washington D.C., etc. - three buses
1993 OAGC Cruise - Bahamas - 34 on tour; The Garden Path format changes
1994 OAGC bus tour to Toronto - five buses; Exhibitors’ and Judges’ Handbook revised
1994 Ohio Mason Publishing Company started printing The Garden Path; Junior Garden Club Handbook printed
1995 Bus tour - Michigan - three buses; Gardeners’ Delight cookbook printed
1996 Bus tour - Branson, Missouri - five buses; Wahkeena Nature Preserve Improvement Fund created; Design Study Department created; the slide/video contest now includes photographs
1997 Bus tour - Springtime in the South (Callaway Gardens) - five buses; Faye Collins Designer of the Year Contest established; Bus tour - Oglebay and Wheeling, West Virginia - one bus; OAGC dues raised from $2.50 to $5, member-at-large dues raised from $5 to $10; Wahkeena Nature Preserve ponds and spillway reconstructed with OAGC funds
1998 Bus tour - Pennsylvania/Longwood Gardens; OAGC bylaws amended; OAGC Handbook for Garden Clubs revised; Regional Outstanding Amateur Junior Gardener Award established; OAGC friend and floral design instructor Bob Thomas died; OAGC Foundation Scholarships increased to $750 each
1999 Bus tour - Savannah/Charleston - three buses; Judge Emeritus status established; FayeCollins Designer of the Year Award created
2000 Bus tour - New Orleans - five buses; Website created and Website liaison added; Master Design Judge designation created
2001 OAGC Foundation Scholarships increased to $1000 each; Bus tour - Chicago and Wisconsin - three buses
2002 Bus tour - New England - five buses; Wahkeena Landscape Fund created in the OAGC Foundation
2003 Tour - Pacific Northwest - 40 on tour; bus tour - Canadian Cities - two buses; past president Dottie Bates enshrined into the Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame
2004 Bus tour - Philadelphia Flower Show - one bus; fall bus tour - Black Hills, South Dakota - three buses; three $1000 OAGC Foundation scholarships awarded
2005 OAGC celebrates 75 years; bus tour - Grand Tour of Michigan - two buses; four $1000 OAGC Foundation scholarships awarded; fall tour - Nashville/Asheville Christmas - one bus
2006 Fall bus tour – Washington D.C. / Williamsburg; four $1000 OAGC Foundation scholarships awarded; established a separation of OAGC, Inc and OAGC Foundation, Inc.
2007 Bus tour - Holland Tulip Festival Mother’s Day Treat; fall bus tour - Golden Isles of Georgia/South Carolina - two buses; OAGC- branded email boxes established; 50th Anniversary of Wahkeena Nature Preserve
2008 The Garden Path available on-line at the OAGC website; printing of The Garden Path moved to Corner Print Shop in Beavercreek, Ohio; five $1000 OAGC Foundation scholarships awarded
2009 OAGC bylaws revised; fall bus tour - Grand Tour of Pennsylvania; Archival Manager liaison position created
2010 OAGC celebrated 80 years; Exhibitors and Judges School cycle revised (cycle is 4 schools over 2 year period); OAGC Handbook for Garden Clubs revised; 24 garden clubs participated in the Salt Fork State Park Cabin Beautification project
2011 Bus tour – Boston for World Flower Show – two buses; Bole Award ceases and OAGC Medalist Competition begins; first OAGC Foundation Hike for Health – FDN - held at Wahkeena Nature Preserve. Mohican School in the Out-of-Doors becomes fifty years old
2012 Junior Advisor Handbook is updated and published; Foundation Scholarships increase to 4 and to $2,000 with a tribute to Dr. Gary Anderson; 2nd FDN Hike for Health held at Cedar Bog Nature Preserve; editing underway for Handbook for Exhibitors and Judges; Master Gardener Award renamed to OAGC Gardener of the Year; Challenge Class added to Convention Flower Show; Wahkeena management assumed by the Fairfield County Historical Parks Commission
2013 Ohio bus trip – “Wine, Wit and Wisdom” – 40 on tour; dues increase to $7; archival materials accepted by the Ohio Historical Society; partnered with OHS to revitalize native plantings; 3rd FDN Hike for Health held at Mohican School in the Out-of-Doors
2014 International trip to Ireland, 42 travel to Dublin and the World Flower Show, June 11- 19; Exhibitors and Judges School returns to a 3-year, 12-day cycle; Ohio Historical Society renamed to Ohio History Connection; four Foundation Scholarships given and increased to $2,000 due to available funds, including Doris Schuster Memorial awarded to a former OAGC junior, Stephanie Cech; 4th FDN Hike for Health held at Black Swamp Bird Observatory. At the 2014 Convention, 24 clubs participated in the first functional table setting contest. This was an elaborate wedding theme for eight
2015 OAGC bylaws amended to reflect the change from 3 to 2 vice-presidents; creation of strategic planning committee leading to a change in the logo, mission and vision statements; Foundation Scholarships increased to seven due to finances; OAGC website redesigned; OAGC Foundation received required funds to establish a scholarship named for Dottie Bates
2016 Bus tour – Philadelphia Flower Show; Handbook for Exhibitors and Judges revised; established partnership with Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) at the ODNR park at The Ohio State fairgrounds
2017 A second international trip to Ireland held with 32 in attendance
2018 Bus tour – Philadelphia Flower Show; Accredited flower show judges/38; Judge Emeritus/29; OAGC membership/2,878; GDO - Cambridge, Ohio to visit the Dickens Victorian Village display
2019 Handbook for Garden Clubs revised; Bus tour – Philadelphia Flower Show; established a Foundation scholarship named for past president Naomi Shepard; April GDO - Cincinnati Botanical Garden & Zoo; October - Exhibitors' and Judges' School Development committee created to make suggestions for improvement of the OAGC schools and judging process
2020 The world was hit with the Sars-coV-2 (covid) pandemic. OAGC cancelled the 2020 State convention; January - OAGC purchased Zoom subscription to provide virtual programming and meetings; Summer - First virtual Exhibitors' and Judges' School by Zoom; October - Garden Path printed in color, Sally Ruth became the GP editor, Herald Printing, Inc. the printer
2021 Revised website and changed provider to A-1 Printing; June/July/August - The covid pandemic continued and OAGC used the Zoom platform to host a the first 3-part virtual version of the State convention by Zoom; Clubs sent out emails or letters updating their members; August - GDO, Lakeside Chautauqua, Marblehead, Ohio
2022 April - Garden Symposium "Come Grow with Us", Celina, Ohio 150 attendees; August - Dues increase to $12/member and $15/MAL; October - GDO, Dawes Arboretum, Newark, Ohio; Marketing Department Chair created; Emily LeVan appointed as the first Marketing Department Chair; Judges Guild created as a discussion panel for all OAGC judges on floral design and horticulture exhibits.
2023 January - YouTube channel created @OhioAssociationOfGardenClubs ; new Instagram channel launched @OAGC_Jr ; republished Flower Shows: Their Organization, Management, and Judging by Victor H. Ries; Revised website and changed provider to Wild Apricot; MAL updated to Individual Member; Handbook for Garden Clubs available on the website for members.
2024 Exhibitor and Judges School becomes an enrichment series with a combination of school and garden symposium in one event; Exhibitor and Judges handbook available on the website for members; Bus Tour - Philadelphia Flower Show; ByLaws changed to allow Individual Members to become Judges
2025 Foundation Scholarships increased to $5,000 due to available funds;