Asking the Gardens Community, “Who Is This?”
Today, we are asking the Gardens community to help us identify details of some of our photos. We have quite few images for which we know the date, the name of the place and/or the name of the event, but oftentimes we know nothing about individual the people depicted. Many of us have visited, volunteered, and read extensively about the Gardens, while others have rich personal and family connections that go back in time. Some of us know all the major historical themes, while others hold only small pieces of trivia about individual gardens, groups, people, and events. But working together, we can answer questions that are both big and small. Please click on the title or the “more” button to see the images and use the comments feature below to share your thoughts, insights and answers.
Image #1: Czech Garden (Masaryk dedication)
To begin, in the picture above, we know we are looking at the 1962 dedication of the Thomas Masaryk bust in the Czech Cultural Garden. But we cannot say for sure who the flag bearers are, nor the women dressed in traditional costume. What are their names? What groups or organizations tie them together? What is the significance of their presence? Why are they attending?
Image #2. American Colonial Garden (Mark Twain dedication)
Again, we know what is being depicted (the dedication of a Mark Twain bust at the American Colonial Garden) and the approximate date (1935), but who are these two individuals flanking the monument?
Image #3. American Colonial Garden (Peace monument dedication)
Who is unveiling the statue? Who is standing by watching? Can identifying them tell us anything about this 1939 event?
Image #4. British Garden (planting a tree)
Can we identify these women planting a tree at the British (Shakespeare) Garden in 1926? What kind of tree is being planted? Does the variety of planting have any significance?
Image #5. German Garden (Johanna Roth bench)
We don’t have much information about Johanna Roth on the website, except that she is honored on this bench for her contributions to the German Garden. What where some of her contributions? Where was she from? When did she live? Who are the people in this image?
Image #6. India Garden (Gandhi monument dedication)
Who is unveiling the Gandhi monument? Is the artist present here? We know this picture was taken in 2007, but what was the exact date?
Image #7. Irish Garden (planting Killarny Roses)
This image is from the dedication of the Irish Garden in 1939, depicting “Rev. E. A. Kirby of St. Cecelia’s Church … planting Killarney rose bushes, shipped directly from Ireland.” Who was Reverend Kirby? Where was he from? Where is Saint Cecilia’s? What is the significance of the Killarney Rose? Who else is depicted in this picture?
Image #8. Rusin Garden (paraders)
When and where did this parade take place? Who are the young women that are marching? Are they part of a Rusin heritage organization or some other group? What do we know about the group?
Image #9. Slovenian and Serbian Gardens (Yugoslav Garden dedication)
Can we identify any of the people present at the dedication of the Yugoslav Garden?
Image #10. Ukranian Garden (Lesya Ukrainka Statue dedication)
Who is leading this statue unveiling and dedication? Who are the attendees?
Image #11. Ukrainian Garden (paraders)
When and where did this parade take place? Who are the young women that are marching? Are they part of a Ukrainian heritage organization or some other group? What do we know about the group?
Even if you don’t have the answers to all these questions, let us know what you think about this process. We want to continue with small projects like this in the near future as a way to learn more about the Gardens’ history and the history of Cleveland’s rich cultural communities. We look forward to hearing your replies!