After my first mention of the Chehalis Municipal Rose Garden was published, the tips began to trickle in.
In case you’re just joining the story — there used to be a rose “test” garden at Chehalis “Civic Center,” to the left of where the Vernetta Smith Library sits today. I wondered what had happened to the rose garden, which I had remembered seeing as a kid on trips to the library.
I searched The Chronicle archives and didn’t come up with much on the Chehalis Municipal Rose Garden, save for several articles mentioning events that happened there, or mention of the Rose Society — and a lone Life section feature from 2003. But nothing yet on when the rose garden started … or what happened to it after the Vernetta Smith Library was constructed.
In the past, I had heard the gardens referred to as “test” gardens. Turns out that the All-American Rose Selections group “tested” roses for consideration for commercial production in 160 designated gardens around the country — including ours here in Chehalis.
Steve Richert, one of the prominent members of the “You might be from Chehalis if … “ Facebook group, found an article mention in the Chehalis Bee Nugget archives online from June of 1936. The article details a rose show at the test gardens. Familiar names — Mayor West, Mr. and Mrs. Coffman — are mentioned, as is a harmonica band and formal dinner at the Coffman home in Chehalis. A “shot silk” rose was the show-winning flower that day.
From the sounds of the article, it appears that the rose gardens and the local Rose Society were well-established as far back as the 1930s. But possibly even earlier.
I received numerous other messages that alluded to malicious mischief against the poor roses, and others who had heard the flowers had been poisoned inadvertently by haphazard volunteers.
It turns out what happened to the rose garden is a much simpler story.
I happened to be talking on the phone one day last week with Lilly Wall, Recreation Manager for the City of Chehalis, and I inquired with her about the garden. She took a collective breath as she reminisced.
Wall explained that, prior to demolition of the old City Hall building old Timberland Library building, the roses were relocated to Henderson Park, near 13th Street and Market Boulevard in Chehalis, where the parks and recreation department is today.
Wall said that, despite incredible efforts, the transplanted roses simply never thrived. Every effort was made by knowledgeable staff and citizens, but the roses just never took off after the transplant. Some roses still exist around the city today, but none of them have bloomed like they used to.
It’s sad to think that something so beautiful had such a tragic ending. The best of intentions and unfortunate results. Nature is tough sometimes.
An email this last week from Ritchie Hansen also echoed Wall’s story of the roses. Hansen had remembered seeing them near the pump house at 13th Street.
For those of you who, like myself, were not aware, “Henderson Park” — the green space at 13th Street and Market Boulevard — was previously a much more traditional park. Daryl Lund, Chehalis City Councilor, mentioned to me one day that there used to be a playground and barbeque areas at Henderson Park. I was too young to remember or have known and it was the first I had heard that information.
According to the City of Chehalis website, the one-acre park was “formerly office space for the Department of Natural Resources, was deeded to the city in 1962 and subsequently housed the city’s Community Services Department. The Community Services office and the Activity Building were remodeled in 1993. Today the office houses the Department of Community Development, Park and Facility Division, Recreation Division, & Finance Department. The Activity Building is used for recreation programs, meetings and is also the Emergency Operations Center when the need arises.”
It continues: “The park and facility division office, shop areas and maintenance sheds are also at Henderson Park. The upstairs office at one time was called the Jaycee building as that was where they held their meetings.”
Interestingly, at the bottom of the page, it’s noted that: “There are numerous rose bushes surrounding the park which makes for a nice atmosphere.”
A comment was also made to me that both Henderson Park and Millett Field fell to the wayside as traditional parks around the same time — about the time that Stan Hedwall Park was constructed.
I’ve heard some rumblings of potential new development being explored across from Henderson Park. And, did you know that Preschool Playtime, the City of Chehalis parks and rec preschool program, operates in a building at Henderson Park?
Imagine if Henderson Park could be reclaimed as a community garden — where kids could learn and people could plant produce — both an educational and sustainable type of park, in that space? Perhaps roses could make a comeback, while also creating new opportunities for citizen use.
Henderson Park — and Millett Field — are forgotten public spaces. But they don’t have to be.
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Brittany Voie is The Chronicle’s senior media developer. She welcomes correspondence from the community by email at bvoie@chronline.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BrittanyVoieTheChronicle or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/chronbvoie.
