For some time, I have been considering writing about the notable women who were instrumental in the development of Rogers. Recently, Sherrie Eoff contacted me and suggested writing a column about the history of the Garden Club of Rogers (GCR) because they celebrated their 90th anniversary in 2019. This was a stroke of luck, for the founder of the club was Vera Key, a woman who had many positive influences on the formation of Rogers and one whose legacy still lives today. So I have attempted to join both topics into one column.
Key was born at War Eagle on Sept. 16, 1893, a descendant of the Blackburns and Keys, two of the original pioneer families of Northwest Arkansas. She was a great-granddaughter of Sylvanus and Catharine Blackburn. The Blackburns established the community of War Eagle and built the War Eagle Mill, which provided much of the material to rebuild the area after the Civil War.
Key first moved to Rogers with her family in 1897. She graduated from the Rogers Public Schools in 1908 and the next year went to St. Louis to train as a nurse. Following a stint in the Army Nurse Corps in France during World War I, she returned to Rogers, where she befriended aging humorist Tom Morgan, a writer and local merchant who, in 1924, suffered a severe stroke and required the services of a full-time nurse. The cantankerous patient said, "Well, if there has to be someone here, send for Vera Key; she can stand the gaff." Tom never fully recovered, and Vera took care of him during his last five years. They became close friends, and when he died in 1928, he left the house, $1,000 and other items to her, according to the Rogers Historical Museum website. After Morgan's death, Vera Key, at the age of 35, devoted her life to her community until her death in 1987 at the age of 94.
The house left to Vera Key was located at Third and Walnut streets, just north of the Methodist Church. Records indicate it was built about the mid-1880s and had been the home of other colorful and interesting people such as H.L. Stroud of Stroud's Department Store. Stroud moved to Rogers in 1884, and this may have been his first home.He sold this house and about 1890 and built the grand home at the corner of Fourth and Walnut (later the Callison Funeral Home, demolished last year). Research reveals the Morgan family moved into the old Stroud house in 1890.
Key turned the home into a tourist and boarding house and the yard into a showcase of flowers, trees and shrubs. Her next big endeavor was to found the Garden Club of Rogers on Nov. 4, 1929, with 10 charter members. These ladies shared a love of gardening and a common goal -- to make Rogers the most beautiful city in Arkansas.
It is interesting to put into perspective the time when the GCR was founded. The big Lane Hotel (now Haas Hall Academy) in downtown Rogers had just opened, and the Great Depression had just begun. The Depression economy made the club's mission of civic beautification difficult, but with determination and resourcefulness, Key persevered.
The year 1931 was a busy year for Key and the infant garden club. The club had its first flower show, the first "most beautiful yard" contest, had the petunia designated as the city flower, provided funds, planting, and upkeep for Campus Park, established a Christmas tour of homes, and created a milelong nature trail identifying and tagging the most interesting plants.The Garden Club of Rogers also was involved that year in the founding of the Arkansas Federated Garden Club.
The contributions of Vera Key and the GCR are too numerous to mention, but one of the most lasting efforts was in 1947, when the club for a fundraiser and beautification project bought and sold 2,000 dogwood, redbud and maple trees. The members set out trees all over town including along Poplar Street, South Fourth Street, West Pine and around the Rogers Cemetery. The idea was to help the town with tourism in the spring with the dogwoods and redbuds and in the fall with the color of the maples. Some of these trees still exist and provide a spectacular display of color and beauty in the spring and fall. The club has continued the tradition of planting trees all over town and was instrumental in getting Rogers designated a Tree City USA in 1986.
Through the years, the club has refurbished, planted and maintained various gardens in the city including Centennial and Frisco parks on First Street; Tower Park; Campus Park; and wildflower plots at the Rogers Activity Center, Lake Atalanta, the intersection of Walnut and I-49, and many others. One of the biggest projects was the Butterfly Garden at First and Cherry streets, formerly the site of the Frisco Depot. This is a teaching garden with gorgeous native plants and signage about the plants and butterflies.
Today, the club has 75 members with Marge Leonard as president. Other recent presidents include Sherrie Eoff, 2000-2001 and 2007-2009; Valerie Scott, 2009-2011; Sue Mank, 2011-2013; Debbie Main, 2013-2015; and Burnie Ott, 2015-2017.
Vera Key would be very proud of the legacy of community beautification, environmental awareness and youth education that the club has and is still providing for the city of Rogers. And thanks to Sherrie Eoff for the information.
In addition to founding the Garden Club, what else did Vera Key do? She was a world traveler and loved antiques and history, which led her to be instrumental in the founding of the Rogers Historical Museum. In 1974, a bicentennial committee was appointed by city leaders to celebrate our nation's 200th birthday coming up in 1976. The committee consisted of Vera Key, Jerry Hiett, Harold Jones and others, with John Sampier as chairman. Their first project was to establish a historical museum.
Key was chosen as chairwoman of the first Museum Commission and served in that capacity until 1982. Other commissioners were Ellen Luffman, Davis Duty, Peel Strode, Fred Hiett, Gale Hall, Madeline Lee, Marjorie Bryant and Beth Hough. In 1977, Kathleen Dickerson was appointed to the commission and still serves today.
By the mid-1980s, planning for a museum expansion began. Fayetteville architect Newton Hailey, son of well-known Ford dealer Newt Hailey, led the design work with architect Don Spann of Rogers and a building committee appointed by the Commission. As plans moved forward, Vera Key died in 1987 and willed the Stroud/Morgan/Key house to be either used as a museum by the city or for her estate to be divided between the museum and her church. The Museum Commission felt that the city could not afford to restore and keep the house, so the house was sold with the proceeds divided as specified in the will. This bequest established the museum's endowment fund, which greatly assisted expansion and continues to support museum operations today. Because of her service to the community and her generous gift, the new addition was named in her honor. The Key Wing was dedicated in 1988 and added 5,600 square feet of space to the museum.
Key was also one of the founders of the Benton County Historical Society and was active in the successful effort to gain a national military park at Pea Ridge. Her courage, leadership and generosity helped shape Rogers into the great city it is today, and her influence will be felt and appreciated for many decades to come.
NAN Our Town on 01/30/2020