At first, club members thought of
club to install a drop box at the Town
obvious ones who spring to mind are
buying bulbs locally, but they found a
Office and use it as a mailing address.
General John Stark, his wife Molly, and
wholesale company in the Netherlands
The Board of Selectmen participated in
son Caleb, but there are many more.
that would export fresh bulbs directly
press releases, allowed the club to use
to Dunbarton. “The bulbs were so huge
town facilities to advertise and sell, and
they looked like grapefruits!” Dunn
even let the garden club set up a small
remembers, “We knew we had a really
kiosk at the Town Office. Most impor-
good product.”
tant, the Board of Selectmen created
Dunn and club President Judy Pe-
a line item in the town accounts and
tersen went to the Board of Selectmen
accepted monies for the first year until
in 2005 with their proposal, asking
the garden club obtained their own
the board to sanction the project and
nonprofit status. “We couldn’t have
approve the logo “Daffodils for Dun-
proceeded without the town’s help,”
barton.” In exchange, the garden club
Dunn says.
agreed this would be the kickoff to the
For example: • Poet Robert Lowell was a Stark descendent and spent summers in Dunbarton at his grandfather’s home. He even wrote a poem about it, so “Lowell’s Lyrics” became the name for an antique poeticus variety. • Professor Caleb Mills left Dunbarton to settle in Indiana where he established a school that later became
town’s 250th celebration in 2015, that
All because of daffodils
the garden club would complete the
To tie the bulbs in with town history,
of good public education in Indiana,
full ten years selling bulbs, Dunbarton’s
the garden club thought of naming the
Mills encouraged legislation to insti-
history would be tied into the project
different varieties of bulbs after local
tute a statewide school system and is
and the monies raised would benefit
historic figures. They joined forces
called the “father of public education
Dunbarton.
with the Dunbarton Historical Aware-
in Indiana.” Now he has a white daf-
ness Committee to research prominent
fodil with melon-orange cup named
people from the past. Of course, the
for him.
The selectmen threw in their wholehearted support, allowing the garden
Wabash College. Appalled at the lack
photography courtesy of Adam Nickerson
A little spring shower doesn’t thwart the members of the Dunbarton Garden Club and two teenage volunteers as they spruce up the town common for the upcoming season.
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