Charles Garfield—A Useful and Fascinating Citizen

by Chris Reader

On his memory stone, it says "Chas. W. Garfield - Useful Citizen, Lover of Trees." Charles W. Garfield, was not just a useful citizen, but one of our most fascinating. A teacher, graduate and staff member of Michigan State, horticulturalist, forester, bicycle enthusiast, reporter, museum founder, banker, city planner, state representative, and donor and promoter of parks and playgrounds, Garfield's influence on Grand Rapids and Michigan is profound, even today!

Charles Garfield was born in Wisconsin in 1848, where his father Samuel worked as a sawmill superintendent. In 1858, the Garfields moved to Grand Rapids, purchasing a portion of the Burton farm, near what is now the intersection of Burton and Madison, and planted much of the land with orchards. Charles said of the move:

"We moved from the bank of the Menominee River, near Milwaukee, when I was ten years old and it was a great event in my life. Everything was so different here in Michigan from my experiences in Wisconsin. Our neighbors were largely German in the Badger State, and the neighborhood we entered here in Michigan was entirely made up of native Americans."

In 1864, Charles, along with three other classmates, organized the Kent Institute - a scientific club - which evolved into what is today the Grand Rapids Public Museum. After graduating high school, Charles taught school at Seymore School for two years in 1866 and 1867.

Picture yourself a lad of seventeen in charge of a country school of 81 pupils, the school house having a seating capacity of only 68, two upon a seat. It was in the old days when there was little arrangement of the course of study. There was absolutely nothing done in the way of grading; there were 38 recitations in a day, covering all the ground from the A, B, C little ones to a class in quadratics in algerbra. ... The compensation of the teacher was $30.00 a month. This was to be used as a fund to help through college, so, not-withstanding all of the untoward conditions, hope was high, for the net earnings meant a wider opportunity for education.

As a way to keep his students engaged, he proposed a classroom museum, where they gathered and studied local artifacts. He began attending Michigan Agricultural College (now MSU) in 1868, intending to study teaching, but due to a health problem, was encouraged to pursue a career outdoors. Instead of teaching, he chose to study horticulture. He finished the four year course of study in three years, graduating with honors. His love of children, teaching, science, and nature would intertwine for the rest of life.

After college, Charles served an apprenticeship at a tree nursery in Ohio, and then returned to Grand Rapids, and started a tree nursery, planting 60 acres of fruit trees near Reeds Lake. The first winter was particularly harsh, and all of the young trees were killed. The business failed.

Charles then returned to the MAC, received a Master of Science in Agriculture, worked as foreman of the campus gardens, and also served as correspondent for the Grand Rapids Democrat. As foreman of the gardens Garfield worked with Professor William J. Beal to establish botanical gardens. The gardens still exist, and are the oldest continuously run botanical gardens in the nation. Garfield helped found the Michigan State Horticultural Society, and was elected Secretary. He became editor of the agricultural and horticultural department of the Detroit Free Press, and then created a Farm Department for the Free Press. He organized a Farmer's Institute, and began advertising Michigan fruit. Garfield promoted Michigan fruit at every opportunity, as well as the study and expansion of fruit farming. Garfield's efforts were central to creating the fruit industry we have today.

An interesting newspaper adventure was conceived by the attaches of the Grand Rapids Democrat in 1892. Burridge Butler, Clark Sproat, Al Apted, myself (Garfield) and others squandered brain storms, pocket savings and great expectations in its behalf. It was called "“The Michigan Cyclist" and arose on the waves of cycle enthusiasm, sinking into the troughs of the journalistic sea as the amateur exuberance dwindled into apathy.

As a state representative, and as a citizen, Garfield advocated for "good roads." Bicycle technology and the advocacy of bicycling enthusiasts for quality roads created the conditions that made the development of the early automobile industry feasible.

In 1894, he urged the trustees of Michigan Agricultural College to treat women enrolled at the MAC more equally.

Garfield persuaded the University of Michigan regents to develop a forestry program at University of Michigan. He devised a land grant system to fund the department, by getting lumbermen to donate "worthless" cut over land. Garfield's goal was to begin reforesting the logged off land, particularly in northern Michigan. Garfield, through his work on reforestation, was instrumental in the establishment of Michigan's first forest reserve.

He was a leader in the American Park and Outdoor Art Association. He helped establish the Grand Rapids park system through the Park and Boulevard Association. The Park and Boulevard Association also obtained the right of way for Grand River Boulevard to Grandville and later made Reeds Lake Boulevard a reality. Garfield and his family donated two parks - Garfield- Fletcher (now Garfield) and Chesebro - and a nature center (Burton Woods) to the citizens of Grand Rapids.

Garfield was head of the City Planning Commission when the concept of city planning still was new, and chaired the first master plan for Grand Rapids. It is still referenced today, and many of the goals it captured have been re-enacted in our current plans.

In later life he was active and treasured, widely recognized as a Grand Old Man, and noted for his wisdom, good nature, and kindness.

Grand Rapids Spokes-O'-The-Wheel - Charles W. Garfield Edition - March 14, 1929