The path led through a
thicket of trees and shrubs and
rhododendrons. The rhododenrons
had grown to heights of 10' or
more. Their spent blooms turned
brown at summer's end showed
there had been an abundance of
spring blooms, and the overall
structures
and
shapes
and
colors of foliage indicated a
mixed variety. Deer fern, sword
fern, blackberries and grass
had grown over parts of the
path that circled almost a half
acre of garden. Dense growth of
spruce, alder, salmon berries,
salal, ocean spray (arrow-wood)
and fern on the east side bord­
ering Hwy. 101 helped muffle
the sound of passing trucks and
cars. The scolding sounds of
blue jays, songs of many other
birds, chipmunks scurrying over
fallen logs, hoof marks and
droppings of elk showed this
garden had become a haven for
wild inhabitants as well as for
the people that had created it
long ago.
Along the path was an
opening where a sun dial had
been placed on a grassy knoll,
no shadow to tell the time with
overcast sky, but nearby a few
pink
and
yellow
blooms
of
roses, large leafed Bergenia
and other perennials cast a
warm glow. A special crab apple
tree, branches heavily laden
with bright red fruit, later
identified
as
John
Dowie,
Malus, cedar and holly trees
almost hid the large, graveled
parking area in front of a
building equipped with a kit­
chen and large room with tables
and chairs. The building was
identified by a carved sign,
"Tolovana Hall."
To
the
south
of
the
building,
more rhododendrons
mixed with tall, red leafed
plum trees. On the west side a
gated 3' hand split cedar fence
enclosed a smaller garden where
a crescent moon shaped cement
bridge
led
over
a
ditch
bordered by a raised rockery
planted with heathers, azaleas
and
fern.
Bamboo,
hardy
fuchsias,
wild
flowering
quince, a camellia, mock orange
and broom had grown so thick
they almost hid the building.
In this smaller, enclosed
part of the garden was a cement
pagoda placed next to a Hinoki
cypress
that
had
grown
to
almost 8'. A Hinoki cypress is
a very slow growing conifer.
Its beauty is in the formation
of curvaceous sprays of dark
green foliage which looks like
skirts of scalloped lace bibs
surrounding its trunk.
This
particular specimen demanded
attention as the curvaceous
sprays had grown half as wide
as its height. The continued
path led through an opening
framed by a wooden structure
secured by a 3' rock wall
densely covered with ivy that
had aggressively grown into the
garden.
On the north side of the
building was a paved walkway
bordered by plantings on one
side of red berried skimmia and
a tall, orange-red berried cot-
oneaster. On the other side a 4
to
5 *
rockery
banked
the
division of the walkway and
entering road. A few azaleas
and other small shrubs were
almost covered by St. John's
Wort (Hypericum).
The cement
walkway was centered by a flag
pole and a plaque sunk into the
cement walkway inscribed with
"Tolovana Club 1951."
The above describes this
property in the fall in the
late 8 0 's.
In 1951 a group of people
formed a social club called
"South Cannon Beach Community
Club," later renamed "Tolovana
Club."
During the early 1950's,
Clatsop County had foreclosed
on a large parcel of land in
Cannon Beach, 110 x 200 ft.,
almost
a
half
acre.
The
boundaries
bordered
Hemlock
Street and Hwy. 101. In 1955
the Tolovana Club bought this
property from the County for
$10.00.
The club's dream was
to have a clubhouse for monthly
meetings and, because many of
the members enjoyed gardening,
to create a garden. Ed Carlson,
a retired landscaper for the
City of Portland, and Cornelius
(Keef) DeMaan helped design and
maintain some of the early
plantings, along with many of
the
other
members.
Harry
Teller's known artistic talents
created the cement moon bridge
and 3' hand-split fence and
gate. Percy Harris was one of
the men who helped build the
clubhouse; later some of the
rhododendrons were planted in
memory of his contributions.
During the 60's his wife, Elsie
Harris, was president of the
Garden Club and many of the
members of the Garden club also
helped to plant and maintain
the garden. When Ernie Moon and
his wife Elaine moved perman­
ently in the 60 's to Cannon
Beach, he helped to clear more
of the land for new plantings.
A
part
of
the
garden
was
planted in memory of Ethel
Banks. Throughout the garden,
wooden benches and small wooden
signs with names and "in memory
of" had been placed here and
there. A few other names of
early members mentioned are
Majors,
Turners,
Matthews,
Spencers and Dr. Sargent.
In the late 1980's the
property
tax
and
liability
insurance became too expensive
and maintenance of such a large
garden too labor some for the
club's members. They decided to
give the property to the City
of Cannon Beach. On August 26,
1987 the members turned the
property over to the City to be
used for municipal purposes,
with the stipulation that the
Tolovana Club and the Garden
Club could use the clubhouse
for their monthly meetings for
as long as both organizations
existed.
When the Tolovana Club so
generously gave up the proper­
ty, this gave another group of
people an opportunity to real­
ize their dream. Part of this
land now holds another build­
ing,
the
Cannon
Beach
Children's
Center,
which
provides a loving home away
from
home
for
children
of
working parents. Quality child
care is given by a qualified,
educated staff. The dream to
have a day care center that a
group
of
dedicated
people
worked years to obtain came
into being in 1990.
The small garden west of
the clubhouse is still there. A
new bank south of the property
has been planted with rhododen­
drons. Roses and other plants
now border the entrance to the
west garden, and were land­
scaped by Cannon Beach City
landscaper staff Joe Baldin and
Shay Williams.
In front of the day care
center the first plantings were
done by volunteer help of the
children's parents. This area
is now being cared for by
landscape expert Leslie Sroufe
and her husband Peter. Last
summer Leslie planted two large
tubs full of colorful summer
annuals which she placed either
side of the center's front
door. The new south bank is
maintained by joint efforts of
the city crew and Sroufes.
offered containers and plants
for sale, also gave instruc­
tions and information on what
soil and plants were best to
make interesting bottle gar­
dens. Dinsdale's shop was in
the M&M Building.
Sally re­
paired a broken flower planter
in front of the entrance to the
shop, holding the wooden box
together with cement blocks and
planting
it
with
flowers.
Richard
Atherton
owned
the
building and was so pleased
with the flower box he rewarded
Sally and Sara with candy.
Prissy Martin opened a
dried flower shop in the same
block as Dueber's and Bill's
Tavern
in
1969.
she
sold
wreaths, swags and other styles
of arrangements she created
from dried material. The shop
was closed in the late 70 's.
Prissy is known for her deli­
cate, heart-shaped or round,
dried flower wreaths decorated
with tiny rose buds and violas,
some as small as 2" to 4", and
her fresh Christmas wreaths of
juniper and heather decorated
with Bristlecone pine cones.
Her fresh ones are obtainable
at Raintree Garden Store in
Seaside. She also now has a
business of maintaining and
landscaping gardens throughout
our area.
on Willapa Bay
N aiv olla, W ashington 98637
For Rpsmvations or Infonnation
(Ki0| 665 4541 - Tai (160) (<65-6807
i
1 1 0 ,0 0 0 c o p ie s
GARDENS Dt 3GNED
TOREDUCEOR
elmnaje
peswxeuse .
ATraiDON BUSINESSES
«t CREAIT »MAIHWN
ROWER BOXES. PUNTERS
I
HANCKGSASiTS
* 43W738RES 4
If you have any garden
memories of Cannon Beach or
questions
or
suggestions,
please write June's Garden,
P. O. Box 74, Cannon Beach, OR
97110.
UCENSED • SDtCED
WSURED
WSS2
•
1 2 th
E d itio n
1998
Cannon Beach Magazine
Display Advertising Sales in Progress
First Come, First Served
C all to d a y fo r a p p o in tm e n t, 4 3 6 -0 7 2 1
C oast G raphic A rts
Local & Out-of-Town Distribution
A rt S u b m is s io n D e a d lin e
F or L ocal A rtists: 12 /1 5 /9 7
§teve'$
S p e c i a l i z i n g in :
Environmentally .friendly
Window Cleaning
J'aM ontagnc
P.O. Pax two
Cannon Peach, ()‘f{. 07110
(503) 436-0942
Great Savings!
20% to 50% off many items
Patagonia & Woolrich
Fleece
Wool Blankets reg. $79
Now $35 ea., or 3 for $79.
Hanes Sweats reg. $13.95 now $8.95 and
much more.
kz
In the 6 0 's two flower
shops opened in downtown Cannon
Beach.
Sara
Dinsdale,
Sally
Auel's daughter, had a shop
that featured planted bottle
gardens. All sizes of glass
containers were used, planted
with all sorts of plants. She
'H o m o o f I ho W ild O yster *
>
I f From
beach
to boulevard,
a natural choice fo r
w o m en s clothing.
fi f«chm 4J 5 A
Portland (5 03)2 39 4605
Cannon Beach (503) 436 1572
239 N. Hemlock Box 905 Cannon Beach, OR
97110 503-436-2832
(www.digital-site.com/outdoor)
Open daily 10-5pm______
UPPE.K LEFT E56E ÎANUftKÏ lilt
t
3