First Wednesday Luncheon
For the Westfield Historical Society’s First Wednesday Luncheon series in January, guests are welcome to the luncheon at Echo Lake Country Club on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 beginning with check-in at 11:45 a.m. Author and Horticulture expert, Lesley Parness, will speak on “We Grew it Here: 100 Years of Horticulture in New Jersey.”
Think New Jersey only grows tomatoes? Think again. New Jersey was once the pinnacle for peaches, the ultimate for orchids, the tops for turf. 19th-century New Jersey plant nurseries led the nation with their innovative breeding, greenhouse, field, and marketing techniques. Meet the horticultural superstars who made New Jersey their home. Impresarios, hermits, academics, politicos and a cast of unlikely characters will make you a believer – New Jersey is the “Garden State.”
Garden historian and writer, Lesley Parness, has worked in public gardens in America and abroad for the past four decades. She is a popular speaker throughout the mid-Atlantic region. As Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission, Lesley oversaw education, programming and interpretation at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Willowwood Arboretum, and the Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center for fifteen years. Upon her retirement, Congressman Rodney P. Frelinghuysen presented Lesley with an American flag which had flown over the United States Capitol in honor of her achievements in Public Horticulture.
Those wishing to attend the luncheon may make a reservation by email to westfieldhistoricalsociety@gmail.com or by calling 908-654-1794 before Thursday, December 29. Please advise if there are special dietary needs. The luncheon fee of $35 (WHS members) or $40 (non-members) includes a three-course meal, coffee/tea, and gratuity. Depending on local Covid transmission levels, tables will be spaced out and mask wearing is suggested except when actively eating or drinking. The luncheon fee should be paid in advance (check payable to Westfield Historical Society) by mailing to Westfield Historical Society, P.O. Box 613, Westfield, NJ 07091; by Venmo to @Westfield-HistoricalSociety; or, online at: westfieldhistoricalsociety.org/registration. Payments should be received by Friday prior to the luncheon. Attendees should check the club’s dress code at echolakecc.org/guest-info.
Since 1968, the 501(c)(3) non-profit Westfield Historical Society has worked to preserve, interpret, and encourage interest in history, Westfield, and its residents through educational efforts and community outreach programs.
For more information on the Westfield Historical Society and their events, visit westfieldhistoricalsociety.org, like on Facebook, and follow on Instagram.
Photo by Lesley Parness
