The Dassel flower show revived

By Kristen Miller
Staff Writer

The Dassel Area Historical Society is reviving what used to be the Dassel Woman’s Club Flower Show, offering local gardeners a chance to participate in the Thursday, July 26 event.

The last annual flower show put on by the Dassel Woman’s Club while it was still in existence, took place in 1991.

Back then, all the proceeds collected from the free-will offerings went toward community projects, such as starting the first Dassel library and buying house numbers for the homes in Dassel.

This year’s event is being sponsored by the DAHS and will take place at the ERGOT building. All the proceeds will go toward an addition to the DAHS for storage space, according to Georgiann Walker, DAHS events committee member.

“It’s important to get the community involved. It’s something for all ages and we hope we have that kind of turnout, from young to old,” Walker said.

The first annual DAHS flower show is based on the same premise as the Dassel Woman’s Club shows, in which area gardeners bring in flower specimens. There are four categories; annuals, perennials and bulbs, single-stem roses, and artistic arrangements with “special occasions” as the theme. This could mean anything from Halloween to New Year’s Eve.

Registration will be that morning from 8 to 11:45 a.m. Doors will close for noon judging, to open at 2 p.m. to the public for coffee, dessert, and viewing until 4 p.m.

A master gardener will do the judging for first, second, and third place in each category with a grand prize overall, according to Walker.

The idea to revitalize the show came when Ann Bollman’s husband, Jerry, was cleaning up water from a leaky air conditioner at the ERGOT building and found small vases used in past flower shows.

Ann, a DAHS event’s committee member and former Dassel Woman’s Club member, thought it would be a good idea to bring the show back.

Dassel Woman’s Club

The club began in 1923 with the club’s original founders, Agnes Carlson and Mabel Anderson, Wincie Haapala’s mother. They were two of 23 charter members during that time.

Haapala attended many different flower shows and participated in a few. She thought it would be a good community event and project for the woman’s club. In the late 1940s, the Dassel Woman’s Club hosted its first flower show.

The club would meet, have educational speakers, and do different types of community service such as opening the original public library in Dassel. The flower show was the main fundraiser for the club until its closing in 1991.

The woman’s club acts on an international or federated level, and requires a club’s membership fee of $20. Dassel’s club dwindled in number and ceased to exist, perhaps due to this fee.

First Annual DAHS Flower Show

The First Annual DAHS flower show will be Thursday, July 26 at the ERGOT building in Dassel.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. for gardeners entering the show. Judging will take place at noon, with the doors open to the public from 2 to 4 p.m. for coffee, dessert, and viewing.

There is no charge, only a free-will offering.

To enter contact the DAHS at (320) 275-3077.