​Finding aid published in 2017. Copyright Historical Society of Plainfield,
Created by Kenyon Gardens Association
Dates: 1916-1951, with gaps
Extent: 14 legal folders, 1 oversized box

Abstract: The Kenyon Gardens Association Records contains correspondence of the creation and early years of the Kenyon Gardens Association, in Plainfield, N.J., created in memory of Eliza E. Kenyon. The collection spans 1916-1951, with gaps. The Kenyon Gardens Association grew out of the Plainfield Garden Club and the Monday Afternoon Club, with the intention of becoming an agricultural trade school to teach children rudimentary farming and the ability to feed families with home-grown fruits and vegetables. Howard M. Canoune served as the Association’s only president until the time of its dissolution in 1927. His correspondence is included in this collection.

Language: English
Repository: Historical Society of Plainfield, Drake House Museum, 602 West Front Street, Plainfield, NJ 07060, 908-755-5831, [email protected], www.drakehouseplainfieldnj.org
Conditions Governing Use: This collection is open for research. 
Conditions Governing Reproduction: Copyright restrictions apply. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation: [Identification of item], Kenyon Garden Association Records collection of Historical Society of Plainfield, Plainfield, N.J.
Physical Access: The items in this collection may be used by patrons who abide by the guidelines of the Historical Society of Plainfield Archive.
Technical Access: No additional technology is required to use this collection.
Collection Processed by: Debra Schiff, Archivist, in 2017
Finding Aid Author: Debra Schiff, Archivist
Description Control: Description based on DACS.

Administrative History: After the death of Eliza E. Kenyon, the Plainfield Garden Club and the Monday Afternoon Club (which Kenyon founded) created the Kenyon Gardens Association in her honor in 1916. The Association was meant to be a free agricultural trade school for public school children of Plainfield, N.J., to learn how to supplement the house hold budget during World War I through the use of home-grown fruits and vegetables. However, the children paid a small rental fee ($0.15 per month), and the land not used for children’s gardens was farmed by a local farmer who sold the vegetables harvested in the city. The profit was used to defray the costs of maintaining the student gardens. Mrs. James DeGraaf purchased parcels of land in the area bounded by Arlington Avenue, Stelle Avenue, and Randolph Road. Children from around the city could reach the gardens via the Arlington Avenue trolley line. Mrs. DeGraaf was the first president, but she was followed in 1917 by Howard Masten Canoune (1873-1934), who kept the role until the Association’s dissolution 10 years later. Canoune also served as Historical Society of Plainfield President.

The property was sold to the Union County Park Commission for $12,000 in January 1925. Disagreement about the money ensued. A portion of the profit ($4000) was given to Muhlenberg Hospital for an Orthopedic Clinic. The plaque on the wall read, “The Eliza Elvira Kenyon Clinic, The equipment for this department was donated in the year 1927 by the Kenyon Gardens Association in the memory of Eliza Elvira Kenyon.” Eight thousand dollars was given to the Monday Afternoon club in trust to secure lecturers. If the club dissolved, the money would be given to the Plainfield Trust Company to endow a scholarship to a high school girl to further her education. 

Scope and Content:
Most of the materials in the collection originate with Howard Canoune and concern the exchange of property and insurance policies. There also are letters dealing with the hiring of teachers for the garden courses, as well as farmers and other workers. Land records and correspondence regarding the purchase of land, maintenance of land, and community concerns regarding the land are in these records. 

Organization and Arrangement:
The collection is divided into 6 series: Correspondence, Financials, Insurance, Clippings, Publications, and Scrapbooks. Within the series, it arranged by date.

Related Collections: The Eliza Elvira Kenyon Papers

​Index Terms:
Corporate Names/Organizations:
Kenyon Gardens Association
Monday Afternoon Club
Plainfield Seminary for Young Ladies
Subjects:
Education
Gardens
People:
Canoune, Howard M.
Kenyon, Eliza E.
Places:
Plainfield (N.J.)
Genre Terms:
Correspondence
Land Records​​

Container List

Box 1, Kenyon Gardens Association, 1916-1929

Folder Number	Series Name	Folder Title	Date
1	Correspondence	Kenyon Gardens Association, Correspondence	1916-1929, with gaps
2	Correspondence	Kenyon Gardens Association, Correspondence	1921-1922
3	Correspondence	Kenyon Gardens Association, Correspondence	1921-1925
4	Correspondence	Kenyon Gardens Association, Correspondence	1921-1928
5	Correspondence	Kenyon Gardens Association, Correspondence	1922
6	Correspondence	Kenyon Gardens Association, Correspondence	1922-1923
7	Correspondence	Kenyon Gardens Association, Correspondence	1922-1926
8	Financials	Kenyon Gardens Association, Indenture for Monday Afternoon Club	1926
9	Insurance	Kenyon Gardens Association, Insurance policies	1917, 1920
10	Insurance	Kenyon Gardens Association, Insurance policy	1920
11	Insurance	Kenyon Gardens Association, Insurance policy	1923
12	Insurance	Kenyon Gardens Association, Insurance policy	1923
13	Clippings	Kenyon Gardens Association, Clippings	1921, 1924
14	Publications	Kenyon Gardens Association, Announcer newsletter from Historical Society of Plainfield	1929

 

Box 2, Kenyon Gardens Association, 1924-1947, with gaps

Folder Number	Series Name	Folder Title	Date
1	Scrapbooks	Plainfield's 50th Anniversary, 1924	1924-1947, with gaps
2	Scrapbooks	Historic Plainfield scrapbook	1934-1938