History
When Mrs. Ransome E. Somers moved to Brewster from Pittsburgh some 50
years ago, he left a thriving Garden Club behind. Brewster -- unlike
Osterville, Hyannis and Harwich -- did not have a Garden Club. Mrs.
Somers was about to change that. She would establish one in Brewster and
Mrs. H. Bradford Clarke would work diligently with her to make the Club
possible.
On October 5, 1954, the first meeting of the Garden Club of Brewster was
held at the home of Mrs. Somers, the Club's first President. Mrs. Clarke was
the first Vice President. Meetings were held in members' homes and
refreshments (tea and cookies) were served in elegant style. In season,
there were lovely floral arrangements.
Progress was enthusiastic and speedy, beginning with an observation tour of
Brewster to specify locations where the Club might improve the appearance
of the town through plantings and decoration.
In December, the members learned how to make Christmas wreaths and
then sold them at the East Brewster Post Office. This was our first Holiday
Greens Workshop.
By May 1955, the membership quota of 40 had already been reached.
Many of the very early projects are discernible today, including the garden at
the foot of the Library's original parking lot, the privet hedge and hostas
which edge the entrance driveway, remnants of extensive plantings at the
Old Mill Sites, and flowering shrubs and trees in the triangle at Stony Brook
and 6A.
In addition to the digging and planting along Brewster 's highways and
byways and raising funds to do so, the Club promoted campaigns to
eradicate elm tree disease, opposed public billboards along state highways,
and protested the sale of the land alongside the Canal.
For those who are interested in the early activities of our Club, the Brewster
Ladies' Library has in its Reference Department a bound collection of
fascinating newspaper articles and photographs from The Cape Codder, The
Oracle, and The Cape Cod Times.
-- BY HARRIET McLEAN