History

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=160 style=" border-top: 3px solid #6600FF; border-left: 3px solid #6600FF;border-right: 3px solid #6600FF; border-bottom: 3px solid #6600FF;" BGCOLOR="#669966" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04600a00dkerkg.jpg"> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="040b9960.gif" border=0 width="185" height="150" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#CCFFFF" FACE="Souvenir Lt BT" ><I><B><U>Souris River Botanical Conservatory</U></B></I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B>                 </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#99FFFF" FACE="Souvenir Lt BT" ><I><B>   "Ever...Green and Growing...Under Glass"</B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=202 style=" border-top: 4px solid #339933; border-left: 4px solid #339933;border-right: 4px solid #339933; border-bottom: 4px solid #339933;" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="045d2013.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Souris River Botanical Conservatory">H</A><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Souris River Botanical Conservatory">ome</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mission">Mission</A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7016800000000.png" HEIGHT="24" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">History</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar">Calendar</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Board Members">Board Members</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links">Related Links</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A></div> <div> <A HREF="news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News">News</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Don Vitkos Collection">Don Vitko's Collection</A></div> <div> <A HREF="other_collections_in_our_mid.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Other collections in our midsts">Other collections in our midst's</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=320 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B>P</B><B>ropelled by horticulture dreams of our settlers, Minoters purchased the first property on the Souris River for the Roosevelt Park in 1912. In 1921 more land was added. It now encompasses a zoo, flower gardens, pool, and ball and tennis areas. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The zoo enjoys the reputation as the finest between Minneapolis and Seattle. A miniature train, a reminder of Minot's railroad history, circles the grounds. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Minot gardeners reorganized an area gardeners' group, NoAH (Northwest Association of Horticulture) in 2000. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Greg Bohl, a Minot Park District employee, later chose to draft a plan for a conservatory, his senior thesis at North Dakota State University in Fargo. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Bohl's vision, which included a cafe and other amenities, as well as three "pods" for displays, was the impetus for the conservatory dream. He also foresaw use of the meeting rooms as a site for community activities including meetings, weddings or anniversary celebrations and conventions, which would provide one portion of financial support. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In response to his plan, NoAH members formed a separate entity to focus strictly on building a conservatory. The Souris River Botanical Conservatory, formed in 2002 continues to enjoy NoAH support.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>We incorporated in 2002 and qualified as a 501(c)3 Non-Profit entity in 2003.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Minoter Don Vitko's huge renowned </B><B>collection of cacti </B><B>and succulents has been donated to the Conservatory when a fitting environment is established. It is now stored in a private greenhouse. The collection includes many threatened and rare species. </B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>