RESTORED MAY GREENE GARDEN IS DEDICATED

After several years of work to restore the site, the May Greene Garden at Themis and North Fountain was dedicated Sunday afternoon. As part of the dedication, many of the people who had been active in preserving the garden were recognized for their efforts.

The latest restoration effort began in early 1988 when a City Parks and Recreation Advisory Board subcommittee met with groups of people to see whether there was interest in preserving the site. Once that support was determined, the park board approved a site plan and recommended to the Cape Girardeau City Council that the garden be restored as a park.

The council agreed to accept the site as a park if a citizens' group would develop the garden and provide much of the maintenance. With the assistance of U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson, the General Services Administration, which owns the lot, agreed to allow the newly-formed May Greene Garden Association to develop the site.

Park Board Chairman Jim Grebing said Sunday that dedicated people made the difference in saving the garden. "There was a strong commitment by a group of citizens to save this little corner of Cape Girardeau's history; that's what made the difference," said Grebing.

He said many people and organizations had contributed money and time to the restoration.

Singled out were four people whom he said were most responsible for saving the garden because of their many hours of effort. Presented with special plaques were: Judy Crow, who was the last person to live in the May Greene home that sat there and a leader in seeking support for the garden; Jim Logan, who prepared the new garden plan, and Larry Bohnsack, who, along with Logan, oversaw development of the site and coordinated volunteers.

Also recognized but unable to attend was Maxine Davis, who served as the first president of the association and has been deeply involved in the project's development.

A little longer than three years ago the May Greene garden was on the verge of becoming a parking lot for the Federal Building. The garden site, which dates back to the Civil War, was purchased by the federal government around 1964.

The Cite de la Rose Garden Club convinced the General Services Administration to allow the club to maintain a garden at the site, and a lease was granted on condition the club maintained the garden. The garden was maintained until about 1983, when it reverted to the federal government.

The garden deteriorated, and by 1987 there was little left on the site except for a Magnolia tree.

The garden was first planted by Ruth Greene, who came here from Marble Hill. It was planted next to her home, a pre-Civil War yellow brick house that stood at the end of the garden until it was razed in 1964.

Greene's daughter, May Greene, taught in the public schools here for 53 years and served as principal of the Broadway, Lorimier, and Washington Schools. Following her death in 1948, the garden was maintained by her half sister, Mrs. Nell O'Donohue Nicodemus, until 1962.