The years following World War II were a time of rapid growth in population and industry. There was a growing interest in making Mooresville a great town in which to live. The town motto was “Moore Living in Mooresville.” In 1939, an organization called The Women’s Club was created to give women an opportunity to gather, have fun, and work on projects while learning all aspects of home life. It had 13 branches, from which the Garden Club of Mooresville began in 1948.
Becoming a Federated Garden Club in 1952 meant that we had an identity that was much larger. From the local club, we are a part of the Statesville Council, North Carolina District 3, The Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc., South Atlantic Region, and National Garden Clubs, Inc. Each level has its own officers and meetings. The state- and national-level organizations have websites that allow all members to utilize their educational offerings, award opportunities, leadership, and mentoring programs. Attendance at the higher levels of garden club meetings helps facilitate relationships across the country while learning new ideas in a fun environment!
The Mooresville Garden Club, from its inception to the present day, has been an integral part of the community. As a nonprofit organization, our purpose is to stimulate interest in gardening and related subjects and to promote the beautification of the community of Mooresville.
The implementation of our purpose may look different over the years, but at its core, club members share the love of gardening while in service to our town.
Just a few of the activities are discussed in this article. The thought is to give the reader a sense of what we are about.
Going back to 1951, the Club and the Chamber of Commerce partnered to plant 3,000 naturalized daffodil bulbs in the wooded area behind the War Memorial Building, followed by a wiener roast with all the trimmings.
A Flower Show in collaboration with the Women’s Club was held in 1952 in the War Memorial Building. Per an article in the local paper (see other file of our history), “the cream of the artistic talents of the town’s school students in horticulture and flower arrangements” would be displayed.
Moving forward to the 1960s, the club created a committee called HANDS (Home and Neighborhood Development Sponsors), which created several programs to encourage homeowners and school children to beautify Mooresville. One of the programs was for junior high school students to write an essay on the theme “Let’s Keep Mooresville Beautiful.” Other projects included luminaries along the walkways in December, using white paper bags with sand in them to secure a candle. (See Mooresville Tribune, December 14, 1981.)
Planting trees has been an important aspect of promoting the slogan of “Tree City.” In 1952, a service project in collaboration with the Beautification Board involved the planting of 23 water oak trees at the War Memorial Community Center. We believe we identified one of them and have a photo to remind us of the ever-changing beauty of nature.
For the last 20-plus years, our Arbor Day programs have donated a tree to the Town of Mooresville to beautify the community, provide shade for humans, and provide homes for wildlife. Check out the beautiful redbud tree in the Sensory Garden at the Mooresville Library on Main Street, which was planted in 2026.
We meet on the first Wednesday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Most of the meetings occur at the Mooresville Library on Main Street; however, we do meet in parks around town. We encourage socialization, education, and volunteering. A speaker will give a presentation on a wide variety of gardening subjects for the first hour, followed by a business meeting to discuss projects, tours, and activities.
We love partnering with the library! A significant project we engage in is the design and maintenance of the plants that surround the gazebo called the Sensory Garden. In it, there are mechanical items that encourage curiosity through sight, sound, and touch. Our club added perennial plants to continue this wonder. Visitors tell us that it is such a relaxing, pretty pocket garden!
Our 75th Anniversary Luncheon, held on April 14, 2023, at the War Memorial Building (the same building where we had our first meetings), allowed us to look back at our history as well as anticipate the future. Community dignitaries, city workers, and other Garden Clubs in our district were in attendance.
There are two landmarks in town that were installed in cooperation with Mooresville leadership as an initiative of The National Garden Club. A Blue or Gold Star Memorial Marker is a cast-iron plaque that is used to honor all men and women who have served, are serving, or will serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. The first one was installed in 2015 on North Main Street in front of Town Hall. We recently refreshed the plants around the plaque to keep it looking great!
The second marker, installed in 2022, is in Eastern Heights Park (formerly Willow Valley Cemetery) near the American and N.C. state flags. The plan was to have a presentation on-site and then follow with a luncheon at Richard’s Coffee Shop. However, Mother Nature gave us a torrential rain shower that morning, so we had to quickly pivot and have the entire program at Richard’s. The sound of singing the National Anthem and finishing with a live trumpet was awesome!
Club members really enjoy tours of gardens. We are planning on going to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in September.
A project we are looking forward to is adding fall decorations to the front entrance of the West Branch Library!
It will be a FALL Explosion!
Writing an article about a club with such an extensive history and varied memories is difficult, but I hope it gives you a sense of who we are and what we love to do!
Please follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitakervalencia
We can be contacted at: gardenclub@yahoo.com
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara L. Besecker
