History

The Garden Club Formed,1953

Around 1950, women in the Waunona neighborhood belonged to a League of Women Voters

group which faded away and left a void in forming connections within the growing community.

There were several well-established clubs in the Madison area by this time. The Wisconsin

Garden Club Federation had been organized in 1928 and by 1936 the Madison District was

formed with three local clubs. By 1950 the Madison District clubs were holding well-attended

flower shows, the West Side club perhaps the most prominent of them.25

Mrs. Nash (Betty) Williams is credited for organizing the Waunona Garden Club. She was

described as a “wonderful person, and a really avid gardener” whose education at Smith College

involved a thesis on Chinese gardens.26 The Club was organized in September at the home of

Mrs. Earl Cooper, but the first meeting and program took place on October 28th at Betty

Williams’ house with a program by local Monona florist Mr. Al Felly. Attendees wore nametags,

indicating the new Club was bringing together new acquaintances in the neighborhood.