A Look Back

Aug. 3, 1851: Eloise Butler is born on a farm near Appleton, Maine. Growing up roaming the woods, meadows and bogs, she pursues a career as a botany teacher.

1874: Eloise moves to Minneapolis and teaches school for 36 years, taking her students “botanizing” in the bogs of what is now Wirth Park. She also takes course work at Harvard University, Woods Hole and the University of Minnesota, and field work in Jamaica and Vancouver Island, BC.

1907: Eloise and other botany teachers successfully petition the Minneapolis Park Board to create a natural botanic garden to preserve native flora as the city grew. Three acres of bog, meadow and hillside are properly fenced and the Wild Botanic Garden opened April 27, 1907.

1911: Eloise retires from teaching and is officially appointed garden curator; for the first time she is paid for her gardening labor.

1924: The garden expands thanks to her persistence, spending $700 of her own money to fence five acres that need protecting. She adds to garden’s collection by moving plants from natural areas in Minneapolis and greater Minnesota, and importing from the East Coast. Calling herself a “Wild Gardener,” she sees her wild plant hunting as great adventure.

1927: The garden is re-named Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in her honor.

1933: Eloise Butler dies while working in the garden at age 81. Martha Crone, volunteer and friend, succeeds her as garden curator. She goes on to rescue plants from impending development. The garden expands and the upland prairie garden is created.

1952: Friends of the Wild Flower Garden Inc. is founded by Clinton Odell to support garden projects.

1959: Martha retires (she dies in 1989 at age 92). Ken Avery is designated head gardener. He adds plants native to Minnesota and is the first to use controlled burns to manage upland prairie.

1970s: Dutch Elm Disease and drought take their toll on shade-giving elms. As a result the garden becomes sunnier, the bog drier and wildflowers suffer. Replanting of trees and replacing wildflowers has been ongoing since the late 1970s.

1987: Ken retires and is succeeded by Cary George. He removes invasive species, installs trail signs, laminated maps and wooden station posts. The garden is expanded by one acre and native wildflower species are added. He maintains the garden’s historical context by adding and nurturing plant species that once flourished there, such as Tamarack.

2004: Susan Wilkins succeeds Cary George who retired in 2003. In her first three years as garden curator, Susan has developed a new volunteer program to battle invasive species, improved the atmosphere and operation of the visitor’s center to enhance visitors’ experiences and educational opportunities, expanded public program offerings and annually planted thousands of native specimens. Susan is committed to caring for and creating a sustainable, long-term vision and management plan for this invaluable natural and historical treasure.