A History of Minnesota Floriculture A Chronicle of People and Events Significant to the Commercial Growth of Minnesota Floriculture, University of Minnesota Contributions to the Industry, and Minneapolis-St. Paul Parks Developments Richard E. Widmer Professor Emeritus, Department of Horticultural Science University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55708 Minnesota Report 238-1997 Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station University of Minnesota St. Paul, Minnesota The University of Minnesota, including the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation. Author Richard E. Widmer, is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul. Dedication This manuscript is dedicated to my wife Muriel Elizabeth for her constant support throughout my professional life. Acknowledgments Gathering information for this publication required the kind cooperation of several hundred individuals who were contacted directly, by telephone and by mail. The author also appreciated the use of Minnesota State Historical Society facilities, Minneapolis Park Board Archives (Mary Lerman), St. Paul Park Boarb Archives (Claire Martin), Iron Range Resource Center (Julie B. Smith), Minnesota State Horticultural Society records (Dorothy Johnson), Mower County Historical Society (Monica M. Lonergan}, Blue Earth County His.torical Society (Carol Oney}, Becker County Historical Society (Becky Olerud), Marvin Miller of the George Ball Company, Alvi Voigt, retired agricultural economist at Penn State University, and James Brewster of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Washington, D.C. The author also appreciated the assistance provided by staff of the University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science in keyboarding this manuscript. This publication was produced for the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, with design and production management by Larry A Elkin, experiment station senior editor, Educational Development System, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota. Cover graphics courtesy: Gerald Neilsen, Stanley Hampl, AI Gerdin and Gerald McKay. Disclaimer Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Minnesota Agricultuml Experiment Station or the University of Minnesota is implied. Registe1·ed and trademarked names are the properties of their respective owners. A vai/ability To purchase a copy of this publication, contact theMES Distribution Center, 1420 Eckles Avenue, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108-6069 ([email protected] or call 612-625-8173). In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act this material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact your Minnesota county extension office or, outside of Minnesota, contact the Distribution Center. Copyright© 1997 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. Produced in the Educational Development System of the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Printed on recycfed paper with minimum 1D percent post-consumer waste. Printed with agribased ink. PREFACE This report presents a representative cross section of the individuals, organizations and units that have contrib­ uted to and been a part of Minnesota floriculture since its in­ ception in 1851 through 1995. No attempt has been made to present an all-inclusive report, nor have any portions or individuals been intentionally omitted. For the most part, information in this report is present­ ed in chronological order. However, individual segments of floriculture are sometimes presented for a series of years for smoother reading. ln other instances, data for the various seg­ ments is intermixed in an attempt to provide a clearer picture. CONTENTS Chapter 1: The Beginning, 1800s .. ...................................... 1 Chapter 2: A New Century, 1900-1909 .............................................................. ... 18 Chapter 3: Significant Advances, 1910-1919 .................................................. 29 Chapter 4: The Prosperous Twenties, 1920-1929 .......................................... 41 Chapter 5: The Depression, 1930-1939... ....................................... 52 Chapter 6: War, Then a New Era, 1940-1949 .... ....................................... 63 Chapter 7: A New Generation, 1950-1959 ......................................................... 71 Chapter 8: The Expansive Sixties, 1960-1969 ................................................. 83 Chapter 9: The Explosive Seventies, 1970-1979 ............................................ 99 Chapter 10: The Challenging Eighties, 1980-1989 ................................... 123 Chapter 11: Recent Years, 1990-1995 ................................................................... 150 Chapter 12: Industry Benchmarks, 1992-1994 .............................................. 164 Chapter 13: Status and Outlook, 1995 ................................................................. 190 Appendix A: Minnesotans Who Served as National Officers of FTD and SAF. .................................................................................... 200 Appendix B: Chrysanthemum and Rose Cultivars Introduced by the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station ... ....................................................................................... 202 Appendix C: Past Presidents, North Central Florists Association.. ......................................... 206 Appendix D: Past Presidents, Minnesota Commercial Flower Growers Association ... .......................................................................... 209 References.. ................................................................................................................. 211 Index.. ................................................................................................................................ 214 A Chronicle of People and Events Significant to the Commercial Growth of Minnesota Floriculture, University of Minnesota Contributions to the Industry, and Minneapolis-St. Paul Parks Developments Chapter 1 The Beginning, 1800s Roriculture as an American indus­ try is a development of the nineteenth century. In 1800, there was one commercial florist known to be in business in the United States. Three more opened between 1810 and 1820, another eight between 1820 and 1830, and 25 more in the next decade. Naturally, popu­ lation growth and development of the industry occurred later in the mid-western states than in the more populous East. In 1838, the settlement of St. Paul was started on the east bank of the Mississippi River. The Minnesota Territory was created by the U.S. Congress in 1849. Three public squares in the loop section were donated to St. Paul for park purposes in 1849. They were Rice Park by Henry M. Rice, Smith Park by Cornelius S. Whitney and Robert Smith and Irvine Park by John R. Irvine. This recognition of the need for public park space in Minnesota preceded even the establishment of Central Park in New York City. The beginnings of Minnesota's flo­ riculture industry followed shortly thereafter. The Territorial Legislature granted a charter to the University of Minnesota and provided for the establishment of the Department of Agriculture in 1851. The first settlement on the west side of the Mississippi River was established the same year, as was Minnesota's first commercial nursery. 2 MINNESOTA FLORICULTURE PIONEERS The Minnesota Pioneer, Minnesota's first newspaper, was launched in St. Paul about 1848. A few years later the Daily Press appeared in St. Paul. The Daily Press cofounder, and its editor in 1862, J.A. Wheelock, later served as President of the St. Paul Board of Park Commissioners and as St. Paul Postmaster. Obviously there were numerous leaders among the early resi­ dents who appreciated horticulture and its benefits. In 1851, a native of New York State, Lyman M. Ford, started Minnesota's first nursery. His Groveland Garden and Nursery was situated on his 160-acre claim Daniel A. Robertson who, according to University of Minne­ sota professor William Alderman, "was a Samuel B. Green, wonderful man inter­ the first professor ested in almost every­ of Horticulture at thing including horti­ the University of culture," was the first Minnesota {1888) Lyman M. Ford, often president of the Min­ and the chief of considered to have nesota State Horticul­ the Division of Horti­ been Minnesota's tural Society (1866) culture until 1910. first florist, started his and the first University (Photo courtesy 'nursery' in St. Paul's of Minnesota Professor University of Minn­ Midway district in of Agriculture. (1869 esota Extension 78S7. (7898 photo photo courtesy Minne­ Service archives) courtesy Minnesota sota State Horticultural State Horticultural Society) Society) 3 nearly midway between St. Paul and St. Anthony on St. Anthony Road (now Avenue) in St. Paul. In a few years, Ford added the "pio­ neer greenhouse" and hired "a good bouquet maker" from Cincinnati to provide "floral luxuries" for people in the "two embryo cities" of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Ford ran the business until 1885. Later the Minnesota Transfer (railroad) was built on part of the land, and the area became a part