In celebration of WVNLA’s 85 years of service to its members and to the people of West Virginia, we’re combing the archives to paint a picture of the Association’s early operations.
Summer meetings and family picnics were a regular feature of the (then) West Virginia Nurserymen’s Association when they met for their twelfth summer in 1950. The day’s agenda on that Aug. 11 included a picnic and tour of Cole Nurseries, then located in Bluefield, VA. The hosts were Norman and Margaret Cole, owners of the nursery. Norman’s grandson, Norman Cole III, is the current owner of Cole Nurseries.
A description of the event reads, “The picnic will be held rain or shine. There will be room indoors for everyone and we have movies and some games in case of rain. The Coles have quite a reputation as a song-and-dance team. If someone would ask them, in all probability, they would entertain us.”
Twenty three members representing 16 nurseries attended. Of the nurseries listed, only one remains in operation today: Cole Nurseries.
The August 1949 summer meeting was held at the Tygart Hotel in Elkins, and members heard presentations on landscaping, plant diseases and business conditions, according to an article in the Aug. 20 Elkins Inter-Mountain. After the business meeting, members traveled to Stuart Recreation area for a picnic sponsored by Puzzell Nursery. In those pre-karaoke days, “Miss Dorthy Talbott and Miss Caroline Darkey of the Randolph County 4-H Club led the group in singing old and popular ballads,” the article added.
Photo below: New officers were elected at the 1950 summer meeting. They included, (left to right) seated, J.W. Young, Hans Dieckmann, (standing) Marvin Barnes, Waldo Craig, and Norman H. Cole.
