Fair Oaks- A Garden Center's Living History in Marietta
By: Mikel Vann
HISTORY OF THE MARIETTA EDUCATIONAL GARDEN CENTER, INC.
In 1954 there were twenty-two garden Clubs in Marietta, Georgia and over 500 members. A common meeting place was needed to coordinate all the efforts of garden club work. A Garden Center would be an oriented information center on gardening and related subjects. It would be a combination of civic, conservation, environmental, educational, and cultural efforts. At the March 17, 1954, meeting of the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs, Mrs. S. A Cannon (Anne) was selected to call together a group to study the possibilities of a Garden Center. The current garden club presidents formed the committee.
When the committee was first formed, they conceived the garden center as a room in a library or in a business. Anne Cannon and her committee sought out properties ranging from acreage, city-owned property, basements of businesses. But nothing panned out whether from accessibility, price, parking, or suitability. Despite following every lead nothing could be found. It was not until 1960 that President Mrs. Earl Benson (Bette C.) had the entire membership (all garden club members) meet at the Strand Theatre. The meeting was exceptionally well-planned, and members were enthusiastic about finding a new home, but funds were low, so they planned to keep putting funds toward a down payment. At that time there was a balance of $500 in their account.
Garden Center Chairman Mrs. S. A. Cannon (Anne) and Olah Thompson decided that professional help was needed. They met with Judge Harold Hawkins at his Church Street home for two hours! It was decided there that the Garden Clubs should be incorporated. This would also mark the beginning of a long list of civic minded citizens who would join in the efforts to find a property and make it happen. These services donated to the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. saved the members thousands of dollars. Anne Cannon was also the Chairman of the Board of the Garden Center from 1954-1972.
After Judge Hawkins advice, the committee met with attorney Howell Raven (later to be Jude Howell Raven) and explained their goals. Attorney Raven volunteered to secure the Charter as a donation to the Council. Then the owner of the Marietta Daily Journal, Mrs. Otis Brumby (Elizabeth) published as a donation the lengthy papers necessary for incorporation.
The Marietta Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. held many fundraisers during the 60’s including a Tour of Homes, Cobb County Fair Flower Show, writing and selling two cookbooks, holding an annual bazaar, and arranging paper sales. The community was generous with donations of time and money. The membership continued to grow. By 1966, $17,000 had been saved.
Soon after, at a party at the home of Mrs. H.E. Mozley (Ethel) it was suggested by Jennie T. Anderson (future Garden Club of Georgia President 1969-1971) and Anne Cannon to Clara Benson that her vacated home on Kennesaw Avenue would be an ideal place for a Garden Center. Clara answered: “He Works in mysterious ways.”
Clara’s house, Fair Oaks, had been built in 1850-1852 and was occupied by the Benson family from 1919-1962. It then stood vacant until 1966. During the vacancy, the home had been terribly vandalized, and the grounds overgrown. Mr. Benson visited the house almost every day, despite his ill health and was very distressed about the vandalism. The windows were smashed, and plaster had been ripped out from the walls. Mantels had been torn from the walls. Transients would take up residency, and two fires were set (doused by neighbors). Two run-down houses were also next door adding to the desolation of the property.
The Benson family, not wanting the destruction to continue, but not wanting the historical home destroyed, graciously decided in November 1966 to deed the property, the one acre and the building, to the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. to be used as a Garden Center. Therefore, in 1966, after twelve years of fruitless efforts by the Garden Center Committee, the gift of the house and grounds were offered in fee-simple to the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs, Inc by Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Benson, and their children, Dr. and Mrs. W.H. Benson Jr. and Dr. and Mrs. Earl Benson. On November 4, 1966, the Garden Club Council and the Garden Center Committee met in the driveway of Fair Oaks at 4:45 to discuss the details of the offer. The Benson family was also present and Mayor Howard Atherton. Marvena Northcutt opened the meeting in solemn prayer. It was then that the Dr. Bensons officially offered the houses and ground as a gift. The Benson family asked that the house be restored suitable to the Council’s use as a Garden Center. At the same time, the Bensons gave approval of additions or deductions of the building, removing an addition and adding a meeting room. Fortunately, the original part of the building was very sturdy with each first-floor room having its own foundation. The President of the Council, Mrs. Donnie Joe Wilcox, asked if there was a time limit to the acceptance, and they generously gave 90 days for consideration.
There was some disagreement among the Garden Center Committee and the Council on whether to accept this dilapidated piece of property. To some it was completely overwhelming and to others it was a remarkable opportunity.
The first matter to be taken up was a survey of the property. Since the Garden Center would be a place to benefit not only the garden clubs but the city and county as well, Mayor Atherton and the city council agreed to pay for the survey at no cost to the council.
The property deeded to the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. was originally 1 acre but ended up 3.4 acres after the Benson family consulted with their tax attorneys. The house was structurally sound. Each room was underpinned with a twenty-inch rock support. There were fireplaces in every room. The house was put together with hand-made square nails and wooden pegs. Nails as we know them today were not made until 1880 and Fair Oaks was built in 1850-1852.
A fundraising committee was formed, chaired by Mrs. James T. Anderson, Jr. The First 400 Club was organized. Each member of this club donated a minimum of $100. A plaque bearing the names of the donors is in the Library at the Garden Center. Jennie and her committee were instrumental in acquiring the much-needed funds to bring the house and grounds (3 ½ acres) back to life. The committee believed they could make the building functional with the $17,000 they had and an additional $20,000.
Mayor Howard Atherton declared the week of December 1-7, following the gift of the house, as Garden Center Week and a fund drive was approved by the Downtown Merchants Association and the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. The Marietta Commercial Bank donated the cost of the publication of brochures.
Mr. David Dosser of the First National Bank served as the Public Relations Representative. So many devoted and gave their time and energy during those first years.
In converting the property for use as a Garden Center, changes and modernization were necessary but not at the expense of the home’s historical integrity. The only exterior change was a spiral staircase added from the front porch to the balcony on the second floor as a fire escape. As the work began and the news of the gift spread then more and more volunteers joined the committee creating the founding of the Marietta Educational Garden Center, Inc. The Marietta Daily Journal continuously carried pictures and articles on the progress of the Garden Center. Elizabeth Atherton (wife of Mayor Howard Atherton) sat in the freezing cold weather to sketch the Garden Center as it would look like after the restoration. This sketch was duplicated and put in all the windows of the businesses in Marietta. This sketch is still used today on stationery and brochures.
Mrs. O. A. Bentley (Ima) was President of the Garden Council in 1967 and 1968. Her son, attorney Fred Bentley, Sr., took on the expensive and extensive legal matters necessary to clear the title and transfer the deed. He was also able to secure exemptions from City, County, State, and Federal taxes. Therefore, all donations are tax deductible. Mr. Bentley also wrote the Bylaws for the Center.
The Council soon found out that this was not just a paint and fix up project. They would need the services of professionals to restore the home. Ima Bentley and Anne Cannon visited the office of William “Bill” Tapp Jr., who was one of the foremost architects in Marietta at the time. He had planned the campus buildings for Southern Tech in Marietta (now part of Kennesaw State University). The ladies asked him how much his services would cost. His reply was, “I am a member of this community and believe in what you are attempting to do, so I will donate my services.” This was huge!
The builder was not so willing to donate his services. His estimate for the renovations was nearly $60,000. That still left the furnishings and insurance to take care of. The shocking price did not deter the Council. They voted in favor of the restoration, and the work began with a mortgage taken out to cover the costs. The Center was dedicated on November 9, 1969. The members of the Garden Council Committee had to personally sign a note for $22,000.
In remodeling, all electrical wiring and plumbing were replaced. Central heat and air were added. The City of Marietta added streetlights. The kitchen was furnished with one gas and one electric stove. The kitchen was also furnished with china, silverware, and a dishwasher. Dupre’s Hardware donated a refrigerator.
Garden books and vases were also inherited from the estate of Mrs. Regina Rambo Benson. Mrs. Benson was the first woman to drive 1,000 miles across Georgia and the first woman in Georgia to run for Congress. Mr. Guy Northcutt packed all these treasures and carried them to the Center. His wife Marvina was Garden Club of Georgia’s President in 1983-1985. This was a nice start on the inventory of the library.
For the Meeting Room the Smyrna Garden Club donated a pull-down screen. Judge J. J. Daniel donated a speaker’s stand. Most of the furnishings donated in the first days were beautiful antiques. Most are still there. Mr. T. Ed Stephens of Stephens Lumber Company donated and installed the pine paneling in the Meeting Room. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Clarke donated the draperies for this room. The Meeting Room was furnished by the Holly Garden Club with fifty folding chairs and four folding tables. Twenty-six matching chairs were ordered at the same time and were donated by individuals.
The exterior of the home was very challenging. The baluster spindles on the front porch and balcony were almost all missing. Mr. Frank Nelson made the turnings for the spindles in his workshop. His wife, Carol, was the Council President at the time. When the charming full length blinds for the doors and windows (which were missing) proved to be too expensive, the contractor, Mr. Adrian Leavell, set up his own workshop and duplicated the original ones for no charge.
In 1968 Olah Thompson and Anne Cannon were in Athens, Georgia, to take their Judges Refresher Course in flower arranging. They took along 35 MM slides that Anne had taken of the inside and the outside of the Garden Center. They met with Dean Hubert Owens from the Landscape Architecture College. Dean Owens and his students had designed the Founder’s Memorial Garden at the State Headquarters., They showed him the slides and asked if he had any suggestions. Much to their delight be became very interested to the point of having a senior landscape student, Donna Franklin, scale and plan the grounds of the Garden Center as her thesis! Donna did a complete master plan, and Dean Owens visited several times to check on the progress.
There were others who were instrumental in taming the overgrown grounds. The Marietta Men’s Garden Club worked very hard on the clearing. Boy Scout Troops 277, 144, and Sea Explorer Ship 277 also volunteered to reclaim the grounds. Ernst Bentley, uncle of Fred Bentley, brought in his heavy farm and road machinery to finish clearing the land. Another donation from the Bentley family was deeply appreciated.
Colonel Wesley Clare Royer was president of the Marietta Men’s Garden Club and was also a mathematics teacher at Southern Tech in Marietta (now part of Kennesaw State University). He arranged for his students to prepare a topographical map as part of their college credits of the grounds. Colonel Royer also did much manual labor on the grounds. It was much to the credit of these people and many others that the wilderness had been tamed by the dedication on November 9,1969. Many prominent citizens and guests met with the members at the dedication including Dean Owens.
METHODS OF SECURING THE FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASING OF FAIR OAKS
AS THE FUTURE HOME OF THE MARIETTA EDUCATIONAL GARDEN CENTER, INC.
Lecture Demonstrations
Teaching Flower Arranging
Plant Sales
Bazaars
Selling Holiday Decorations
Trash and Treasure Sales
Donations
Membership Dues
Renting Upstairs Apartment
Renting for Special Events
Bridge Luncheons
Fashion Show Luncheons
Christmas House
Tour of Homes
Cookbooks
Candy Sales
Fund Raising Dinners
The 400 Club
The Sears HANDS Program
There was one more hurdle to get over to keep the Garden Center a valuable place in the community. In 1971 some Marietta developers planned on tearing down the two old houses adjoining the Garden Center in order to build a seventy-seven-apartment complex on six acres. Knowing that this would cause too much congestion, the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs headed by Marvina Northcutt began to reach out to the city council and to the zoning department. The plans for the apartment complex were dropped, and another set of developers built a lovely thirty-six condominium neighborhood called The Commons.
On December 10, 1972, the Founding Committee stood adjourned at the burning of the first mortgage. The mission was accomplished.
A HISTORY OF THE HOUSE KNOWN AS THE MARIETTA EDUCATIONAL GARDEN CENTER, INC.
Kennesaw Avenue, on which the Marietta Educational Garden Center is located, was once a Cherokee Indian Trail. The Center sits at the foot of Kennesaw Mountain, around and on top of which the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain occurred. This battle raged in the month of June in 1864 during the War Between the States. It is reported in two books that the Southern leader, General Joseph E. Johnston, headquartered in the house for a short time. They are Sarah Gober Temple’s First One Hundred Years and Danton’s Inferno by Danton Walker (grandson of a late owner).
The Newton family built the house between 1850 and 1852. It was constructed of handmade nails and wooden pegs. The floors were heart- of -pine lumber.
The next owner was Mrs. Meyers, widow of Dr. Edward Meyers, past president of Wesleyan College. Wesleyan College was the first college in the world to award degrees to women. Dr. Meyers die of yellow fever while helping the sick in Savannah. The family then moved to Marietta which was considered to have very healthy conditions.
Mrs. Meyers named the home “Fair Oaks” because of the grand oak trees that flanked the front door. There was a cannonball embedded in one of the trees.
The next owners were Dr. Squires’ family followed by the Jessie Fowler family. The Fowlers still have descendants in Marietta, and some are still Garden Club members. The last owners were Clara and Howard Benson together with their family lived in the home for forty-three years from 1919-1962.
EPILOGUE
The Marietta Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. continues to maintain the Marietta Educational Garden Center. Gratitude and respect are due to all the people who helped save this now beautiful historic home from the wrecking ball. The Garden Center has become a valuable landmark in Marietta. It has a very busy schedule of events and is used by Chamber of Commerce, civic groups, the city council, special events venue, workshops, churches, yoga classes, flower arranging, Laurel District events, and Garden Club of Georgia events. Our clubs meet monthly at the Center.
Since its founding, a Board of Trustees manages the Marietta Educational Garden Center. There is also a part-time employee, the Center Administrator. The officers are Chairman, Vice-Chairman of Special Reserves, Treasurer, Events Coordinator, Home Furnishings, Landscape, Council President, and Facilities Coordinator. The Board of Trustees is made up of Garden Club members and is responsible for the maintenance policies of the building and grounds. There is a budget set by the Board of Trustees for the maintenance, taxes, and insurance of the Garden Center. Our donations are managed by the Cobb Community Foundation. The Marietta Council of Garden Clubs also has its own budget from dues and fundraisers to cover the costs of education, programs, newsletter, directory, and other expenses that may come along.
The use of the Garden Center has grown immensely since the burning of the mortgage. In 1986 a new addition was added creating more needed space. The many donations for the room added were also helped along by the rental fees. A wheelchair ramp was added, bathroom added, and the kitchen was updated. Maintenance of the building continues to be challenging.
In 1990 another major repair project took place. These were reroofing, painting, adding landscape lighting and building a gazebo.
The grounds have been maintained but because of the loss of trees some of the original landscaping needed to be changed. A gazebo was added and a children’s pollinator garden.
The Marietta Educational Garden Center is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places and is in the Kennesaw Avenue Historical District.
In 2022, a Capital Campaign began in July headed by Kathy Young and the Board of Trustees. Neighbors, foundations, local businesses, and members gave generously that summer. The funds were used for major renovations. These were renovating two restrooms, repairing original windows, removing lead-based paint, and a floor-to-ceiling renovation of the kitchen. Also, a side door was installed that would lead directly into the North Garden.
The Capital Campaign reached its goal before September with enough funds to make all the changes and renovations. Funds left over went into an endowment account. On December 19, 2022, the Garden Center closed its door for renovation. The kitchen, back hallway, two restrooms and a utility closet were taken down to the studs. We were very excited about the grand opening that occurred in mid-April.
Submitted by the Marietta Council of Garden Clubs
President Mikel Vann for 2021 until 2023
Marietta Educational Garden Center, Inc.
505 Kennesaw Avenue, NW
Marietta, GA 30060
Sources:
Marietta Daily Journal Archives
History written by Anne Cannon
Notes from Mrs. S. A. Cannon
Minutes
Scrapbooks