Ginter Park of Other Days

In Part I of this article on Ginter Park, printed last week, Mrs. Duke drew a vivid picture of Major Ginter's dream, and of his early steps to make that dream a reality. This week's installment shows how that vision was taken up and carried to its present fulfillment by a group of public-spirited citizens who would not "let the Major down." Ed.

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Major Ginter planned and developed Lakeside Park, which included a botanical and zoological garden. This was a popular resort for Richmond people, particularly for bicycle enthusiasts who rode out to Lakeside over the Missing Link bicycle track, a cinder path designed by E. T. D. Myers, Jr. which paralleled the Boulevard from Broad Street to Hermitage Road. The Lakeside Club was organized as the Lakeside Wheel Club, the name later became the Lakeside Country Club after the nine-hole golf was built. Some of the original members of the Lakeside Wheel Club still residing in Richmond are: R. H . Meade, Charles R. Burnett, William H. Palmer, W. P. Wood, W. D. Duke and Charles R. Winston. The Lakeside Trolley, one of the early electric lines, ran from the city to Lakeside by way of Barton Heights and North Richmond.

Major Ginter gave to the Presbyterian synod of Virginia and North Carolina, the land upon which the Union Theological Seminary was built. The Seminary was moved from Hampden-Sydney to Richmond in 1898. The presence of this institution in the center of Ginter Park has proved a beneficent influence in the community, not only has it given to Ginter Park an outstanding character throughout the years, but it has attracted to the community citizens of the highest type.

The original building committee consisted of S. H. Hawes, John S. Munce, C. D. Larus Sr. and the Rev. R. P. Kerr. At present there ar 19 buildings on the campus of the seminary. The property of 11 acres given to the institution by Major Ginter has gradually been added to until it now consists of 50 acres.

Although the major part of the foundation work had been done at the time of Major Ginter's death, October 2, 1897, only five or six houses had been built and no lots had been sold. Mr. and Mrs. D. Kemper Kellogg, who moved into their present home on the corner of Walton and Hawthorne Avenues in 1900, are among the earliest residents. They speak of the pioneer days in Ginter Park as "living in the country." People walked along the roads as there were no sidewalks, there were no street lights, no gas, no telephone service, street cars ran every 40 minutes. Mr. Kellogg rode to his office on his bicycle, often passing through the Lee District which was at that time undeveloped fields. When Mrs. S. H. Hawes gave a dinner party about this time, she remarked that all the residents of Ginter Park could sit around their table.

The Lewis Ginter Land and Improvement Company was organized early in 1906 for the purpose of taking over and developing the real estate holdings of Major Ginter. The largest of the several tracts of land was named Ginter Park, and at that time was several miles beyond the city limits.

Residents Organize Improvement Group

On Septmeber 28, 1909, the property owners and residents of Ginter Park met in the school auditorium and organized the Ginter Park Residents Association, for the purpose of building up and improving the suburb through co-operative effort. All citizens, including the women, voted on matters pertaining to the government of the section, the women being deprived of this privilege with the incorporation of the township, until it was later granted to them Federally. John Garland Pollard was elected president.

There were many problems confronting these young town officers--the removal of old and unsightly buildings from near-by lots, the marking of streets, crowded conditions in the school, cleaning up of foul streams and ponds near Ginter Park. In his first annual report President Pollard said: "Before we moved to the settlement it had many attractions for which the present citizenship can claim no credit. It had its beautiful roads, its trees and hedges, its waterworks, its electric lights and its transportation facilities. With such a beginning and such a citizenship as we now have it will be nothing short of disgrace if we failed to make this the town beautiful and the community ideal." The property owners voluntarily agreed to tax themselves to provide street lights, fire protection, sidewalks, collection of garbage and ashes, improved school facilities, and, as stated in the articles of agreement, "in general all the public benefits enjoyed by modern suburban communities."

Much of the present beauty of Ginter Park may be attributed to the wisdom and foresight of the Committee on Civic Improvement which was composed of Miss Katherine Hawes, E. S. Goodman and C. P. Cadot. They looked after the spraying and pruning of the trees along the streets, they urged the planting of trees and shrubs which attract birds.

Ginter Park was incorporated as a town in 1912 and John Garland Pollard was elected Mayor. He filled the office for two years and upon his resignation in January, 1914, he was succeeded by William D. Duke, who served as mayor of Ginter Park until it was incorporated in the city in October of the same year.

A modern school building was constructed in 1914. The Ginter Park School has been connected with such unusual efficiency for the past 21 years by the superintendent, Alvin L. Thoms, that it has been one of the greatest inducements toward attracting to Ginter Park parents who desire an excellent school for their children. The new school opened in 1914 with 180 pupils and nine teachers and in five years' time the building was overflowing. After several years of agitation and crowded conditions, a new addition was added to the school building and in 1930 there were 750 pupils and 21 teachers. Mrs. Webster S. Rhoads was largely responsible for the work of the Ginter Park Garden Club in the beautiful landscaping of the grounds of the Ginter Park School.

Community Building Serves Many Needs

Citizens of Ginter Park felt for a number of years that the outstanding need in the community was a suitable community building adapted to the needs of the several organizations as a meeting place, and also to provide a library and recreation facilities for the boys and girls. This was made possible through the generosity of Miss Grace Arents and her sisters, Mrs. Albert Young and Miss Joanna Arents. They offered to remodel the old school house as a community center to be known as the Lewis Ginter Community Building, as a memorial to their uncle, Major Lewis Ginter. They proposed to add a gymnasium, lockers and showers and a library, and to donate the property to the citizens of Ginter Park "for the pleasure and benefit of the residents," provided the said citizens accepted their offer and properly maintained the property by dues, etc. The Lewis Ginter Community Building was duly incorporated and an organization was perfected with a board of directors.

The library was opened with 1,661 volumes, which have been increased to more than 7,000. In the senior and junior circulation rooms there is the Alice Binford Rhoads Memorial collection, containing the higher type of fiction and non fiction. This memorial was created upon the death of the first chairman of the library committee for the Community Building, Mrs. Webster S. Rhoads, who was a member of the first board of directors and an active worker for the establishment of the building. Mrs. G. Carlton Jackson has been chairman for this memorial collection since it was established, and Mr. Rhoads named G. Carlton Jackson to select the non-fiction, and the librarian to select the fiction and the children's books which are purchased through the fund. The Lewis Ginter Community Building, Inc., opened on September 23, 1922. The operation of the building was placed in charge of the executive secretary and librarian, Mrs. Edith Clark Cowles. Associated with her is Mrs. Robert Lyne, the popular director of athletics.

A swimming pool was installed four years later at a cost of $12,000, half of which was donated by Miss Arents and half by the community.

Out of the Mothers' Club, started in 1908 in connection with the kindergarten at the old school house, grew the Ginter Park Woman's Club. This was organized in the home of Mrs. S. H. Hawes on May 3, 1911, and Mrs. Charles F. Picot was the first president. The club was organized primarily for philanthropic work. The first shack ever built at Pine Camp Tuberculosis Sanitarium was built and maintained by the Ginter Park Woman's Club until the work was taken over by the city. Members of the club have always been deeply interested in the support of the Crippled Children's Hospital, the proceeds of the May Day Festivals held for many years in Pollard Park were given to this object. At the time when Mrs. John Garland Pollard was president of the club (1918-1920) she inaugurated a dogwood planting, at which more than 200 dogwood trees were set out. Visitors to Ginter Park in the springtime or the fall appreciate the beauty of these trees, now grown to great size. The older residents feel they are a living memorial for a beloved lady. The endowments of the Alice Binford-Rhoads Memorial Library for the community, and the Mary Archer-Aylett Scholarship Loan Fund for students, were established in loving memory of two loyal members, now deceased, who gave great service to the club in its early history. Today there are 24 departments of the club covering civic, social, cultural and philanthropic interests.

The Ginter Park Junior Woman's Club was organized by Mrs. Charles Gantt Harris October 19, 1930, for cultural, social, philanthropic and civic activities. Mrs. Dave E. Satterfield and Mrs. Carlton Moffett are sponsors of the club. Miss Clare Whitfield is president and there are now 150 members.

Garden Club, Churches Answer Growing Demands

A group of women gathered in the home of Mrs. Samuel B. Love on February 29, 1924, and organized the Ginter Park Garden Club, the object being, "To foster the love of flowers and fine gardening, to encourage beauty in the community and to furnish the technical information necessary to these ends." Mrs. Lucian R. Curry was elected president. The membership of the Founder's Chapter, limited at first to a neighborhood group, grew rapidly, four other chapters were organized in other sections of Ginter Park, all uniting under the name of Ginter Park Garden Club. Mrs. Robert Henley is president of the club, which now has 250 members. Annual flower shows are held every spring in the Lewis Ginter Community Building. Miss Katharine Hawes served as the first president.

In the progress of development at Ginter Park the need became evident for the establishment of churches. Ginter Park Presbyterian Church was organized October 20, 1907, with 17 members and the Rev. Thomas Cary Johnson, pastor. At the same time a union Sunday school was formed under the supervision of the Seminary faculty. Later the Sunday School was changed from union to denominational, as other churches were built. The Presbyterian congregation used the Watts Chapel of the Seminary for its services for a number of years.

The nieces of Major Lewis Ginter knew that in his plans for suburban development Major Ginter had always contemplated certain reservations for public and church use. Feeling that both his intention and the evident need of the community would be met, these ladies reserved three desirable lots at the corner of Hawthorne and Walton Avenues, and in the spring of 1908 a permanent and well equipped building and an attractive rectory were built. In the assembly hall of the school building the first services of St. Thomas' Mission was held by the Rev. Frank Ridout, appointed by Bishop Gibson to take charge of the work, on June 17, 1908. St. Thomas became a regularly organized church instead of a mission in May, 1913. The Rev. Elmer C. Pedrick has been rector of the church since March, 1920. There are at present 485 communicants.

A Sunday school was organized in Ginter Park by the Baptist Council of Richmond in February, 1916, with 75 members. Eight months later, in October, 1916, the Ginter Park Baptist Church was formally organized with 61 charter members.

On October 11, 1917, 17 persons met in the assembly room of the Ginter Park Public School to organize a Methodist Church in the community. At the first session of the Virginia Conference after the organization of the church, the Rev. L. S. Flournoy was assigned to the Ginter Park Methodist Church as its first pastor.

When the Ginter Park Residents' Association was organized the members adopted for their motto: "Hearty Co-operation by Every One." It is this spirit of neighborliness and co-operation which has pervaded the community from the beginning, and which has made Ginter Park a place of peaceful homes, genial people and happy children. It is this spirit which the older residents are hoping to pass on the future generations.