Archives Accession # 869

1.1.07.1g41 Arboretum Foundation Unit 41 (Frances MacBride Unit) records and keepsakes

Date statement: : 1953-2016
Summary:

 2 boxes

Description:

 Box 1 contains 2 folders of records and keepsakes for Unit 41 (Frances MacBride Unit):

through 1989 folder:
Frances MacBride Unit 41 yearbooks for 1955-1956,1959-1960, 1960-1961, 1961-1962, 1962-1963, 1963-1964, 1964-1965, 1965-1966 1967-1968, 1968-1969, 1977-1978, 1986-1987, 1987-1988, 1988-1989.

1990 and after folder:
Frances MacBride Unit 41 yearbooks 1989-1990 to 2015-2016.  Missing are books for 1997-1998, and 1998-1999.
2011 Elsie Watson history with Unit 41, stapled with 6/9/2011, "Elsie Marie Watson (Hertz) 1913-2011," obituary, 3 pp.

Box 2 contains a half-size three-ring binder and two folders:

Black binder with minutes of Unit 41, 1991-2001 (incomplete).

Green folder containing Unit 41 photographs in envelopes:
8/2014 picnic at the home of Lynne Graber (4 indoor photos).
8/2012 picnic at unknown waterfront garden (4 outdoor photos).
10/11/08 photo of Karole Keifer and Suzie Hall with invitation card for Suzie Hall's birthday party.
12/2007 Anita Rowe and Karole Keifer at Greens Galore at Graham Visitors Center (1 photo).
8/2006 Unit 41 at Gerry Cherry's on Whidbey Island (4 photos).
5/6/2006 lunch at Lynne Graber's home (4 photos).
7/2005 trip to Judith Jones' nursery, Fancy Fronds, in Gold Bar, Washington (3 photos).
6/2005 Joanne White's garden in Redmond (7 photos).
7/2004 trip to Bellevue Demonstration Garden (4 photos). 
2003 clipping of Darcy Halloran at Graham Visitors Center.
6/2003 photo of Alison Eolasurdo's West Seattle Garden.
6/2003 Solstice sale photo from Graham Visitors Center.
12/2002 John Wott's Christmas letter. 
6/2002 Jean Witt's going away party at Graham Visitors Center (6 photos).
7/2002 meeting or garden tour at Janet Dindia's on Mercer Island (4 photos).
10/2001 building the signature bed at Graham Visitors Center (4 photos).
8/2001 picnic at Gerry Cherry's home (5 photos).
8/2000 trip to Cora Gardiner's garden (2 photos).
2000 clipping about Natural Crafts group trip to Heronswood Nursery.
4/27/1993 trip to Bita Du Flon's garden in Sequim (12 photos).
4/1991 photos from Hazel Fieldler's home in LaConner (7 photos) and Skagit Tulip Tour (9 photos).
8/1990 Jean Witt, Eleanor Carnwath, and Karole Kiefer on the ferry to Whidbey Island.
8/1988 picnic at Margaret McEachern's house (6 photos).
6/1988 walk through Irmgard Grabo's garden on Bainbridge Island (5 photos).
5/1986 photo of MayBelle Johnson's garden. 
8/1976 Unit 41's 25th anniversary celebration at the Arboretum (5 black and white photos).
3/1969 plant sale at the Gardiner home (5 photos).
n.d. Ellen Carnwath's garden (3 photos). 
n.d. Karole Kiefer with another member of Unit 41 (2 different photos)
n.d. Unit 41 members making floral arrangements and birds made of greenery for Northwest Flower and Garden Show (5 photos).

Folder of Unit 41 papers:
5/23/2006 agenda and bid sheet for Unit 41 memorial auction, 2 pp.
Member lists for 1958/59 (2 pp.), 1956/57 (3 pp.), 1955/56 (2 pp.), 1955 (1 page), circa 1954 (1 page, 2 copies with different notes), and 1953 (3 pp.).

Accession date: 2026-02-10 Last updated: 2026-05-19 15:37:58
Subjects: Washington Park Arboretum, Arboretum Foundation

Names	Role	Function
Bucey, Helen Lauridsen		Subject
Banghart, Edith		Subject
Mulder, Mary Ellen		Subject
Pirzio-Biroli, Jan		Subject
Turnbull, Cass, (Cass Cleland Turnbull), 1951-2017		Subject
Watson, Elsie, 1913-2011		Subject
Brauss, Dorothy		Subject
Mulligan, Margaret		Subject
Gardiner, Jeanne		Subject
Kiefer, Karole		Subject
MacBride, Frances		Subject

Location	Note
Archives workroom closed cupboard