Historic Columbia honors Wisteria Garden Club
By Warner M. Montgomery
Warner@TheColumbiaStar.com

Members of the Wisteria Garden Club: Front row: Regina Monteith, Thomasina Coleman, Margaret Goodwin, and Mozella White. Second row: Mary Stover, Dell Hayes, and Danese Ruff. Third row: Lillian Crosby-Brown, Theresa Muldrow, and Frances Koon. Fourth row: Rosenda Lucas, Marian Davis, Lillian Martin, and Doris Green.

Wisteria Garden Club was honored by the Historic Columbia Foundation Au-gust 24 for their dedicated work on the newly restored gardens at the Mann--Simons Cottage. Robin Waites, executive director of Historic Columbia; Steve Morrison, president of Historic Columbia; Sam Davis, Columbia city councilman; and Charles Ashe, chairman of the Jubilee Committee spoke at the occasion.

The Wisteria Garden Club was formed in 1961 and has been a driving force in saving the Mann-Simons Cottage. In 1976, the garden club worked with the City of Columbia, Columbia Housing Authority, and other groups to save the building from demolition. The garden club also helped form the Afro-American Center for Culture and Heritage which furnished the cottage, tends the gardens, and conducts tours.

Steve Morrison, president of Historic Columbia Foundation

In 1996, the Wisteria Garden Club designed the gardens and after ten years of hard work, the gardens and the historic swept yard are now open to the public.

Sam Davis, Columbia City councilman Charles Ashe, chairman of the Jubilee Committee