Worcester County Horticultural Society


The Worcester County Horticultural Society is a non-profit American horticultural society based out of Boylston, Massachusetts, whose stated mission as of 2014 is to "inspire the use and appreciation of horticulture to improve lives, enrich communities and strengthen commitment to the natural world," building upon its founding mission to "advanc the science and encourag and improv the practice of orticulture". Formally established in 1842, it describes itself as the third-oldest horticultural society in the United States after the Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts societies. Today the society's work predominantly focuses in organizing and operating Tower Hill Botanic Garden, as well as supporting the Cary Award, an award program for excellence in New England cultivation practices.

History

The Society was informally founded on September 19, 1840 when several local doctors and businessmen met in "for the purposes of mutual improvement in the theoretical and practical branches of Horticulture," and in the subsequent weeks organized an exhibition of fine specimens of orchard and garden plants from cultivators in Central Massachusetts. The organization's founders shaped it in homage to the Royal Horticultural Society in London, expressing hope in their earliest reports that their "little Society, which has thus far so bravely followed in the footsteps of the great Association of London, may, like our other institutions, continue to flourish." The Society was formally established by an act of the Massachusetts General Court on March 3, 1842. The group continued to host exhibitions annually and by 1850 had a large enough membership and funds to purchase a plot of land and construct its first formal headquarters, "Horticultural Hall" on Front Street in Worcester. Continuing to expand throughout the 19th century and early 20th century, the Society built another larger facility with library and auditorium space in 1928; this building is now home to the Worcester Historical Museum.
In 1983 the board of trustees made a motion to found a botanical garden in Worcester County and by the end of 1985 this was filled with the purchase of the Tower Hill Farm which serves as the Society's main project and headquarters today. Though the Society moved from its Worcester headquarters in 1986, it remains active in the community, having spearheaded efforts in the Worcester Tree Initiative by providing more than 30,000 trees to replace those lost in efforts to eradicate the Asian long-horned beetle.

Governance

Operations of the Worcester County Horticultural Society are overseen by a Board of Trustees. Trustees meet at regular intervals throughout the year, as well as on committees that support the staff of Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Daily operations of the garden are led by a CEO, directors, and staff managers.
NameDates of Term
John Green1840-1844
Isaac Davis 1844-1848
John Milton Earle1848-1851
Stephen Salisbury1851-1857
Daniel Waldo Lincoln1857-1860
Alexander Bullock1860-1863
George Jaques1863-1864
Francis H. Dewey1867-1871
J. Henry Hill1864-1867
George W. Richardson1871-1872
George E. Francis1872-1874
Obadiah Hadwen1875-1876
William T. Merrifield1876-1879
Stephen Salisbury III1879-1881
Francis H. Dewey1881-1888
Henry L. Parker1888-1895
Obadiah Hadwen1895-1908
George Calvin Rice1908-1910
Edward W. Breed1910-1916
Arthur E. Hartshorn1916-1918
Charles Greenwood1918-1920
Leonard C. Midgely1920-1922
David L. Fiske1922-1923
Myron F. Converse1923-1948
Allen W. Hixon1948-1960
Dr. Robert S. Illingworth1960-1963
Herbert E. Berg1963-1964
Linwood E. Erskine1964-1968
Frederick D. Brown1968-1972
Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr.1972-1975
Paul E. Rogers1975-1979
H. Waite Hurlburt1979-1984
Cushing C. Bozenhard1/1984-4/1984
Philip C. Beals1984-1998
Hope H. Spear1988-1992
Richard W. Dearborn1992-1995
Mary "Sid" V.C. Callahan1995-1999
Dale R. Harger1999-2001
Jeremy F. O'Connell2002-2007
Betsy C. DeMallie2007-2009
Christopher S. Reece2009-2015
James Karadimos2016–present