Groups that have Promoted Fayetteville Improvements

A group of women, led by Mrs. Sarah Beard and later by her adopted daughter, Miss Emma Beard, worked on several Fayetteville improvements. These people organized the Fayetteville Free Library and, according to tradition, proposed and paid for the Charles Mulford Robinson report on "Fayetteville's Opportunities" in 1909.

This is a list of more formal organizations which focused on village improvements:

Fayetteville Park Commission -- 1908 - 1920s - supervised the floral plantings and care of parks with money from the village board.

Women's Village Improvement Association -- 1900-1916 at least; took credit for Boys' Club which became the village's first Boy Scout troop; public library, municipal Christmas Tree, village Hallowe'en party; Safe and Sane Fourth of July; children's health clinic

Fayetteville Civic Club about 1925 until the 1940s men only -- mostly business owners; membership during the 1930s was about 100 men; held an annual picnic

Men's Community Club -- 1936 -- claimed ownership of Tuttle Field and adjoining property and worked on improvements

Fayetteville Beautiful Clean Committee (met monthly in 1933) studies by Prof. N. A. Rotunno and Prof. - Carpenter

Fayetteville Garden Club - has been meeting regularly since 1935 and participated in civic beautification projects throughout the village. Members responsible for planting the crab apple trees on Genesee St. (1946-1950) and ornamental planting and maintenance of Triangle Park until 2002. Members asked by the village to participate in planning and financing of McLennan Wildlife Sanctuary plantings and use.

Fayetteville Improvement Society -- operated playground in 1937, seems to be all women, with gifts from local businesses; also in 1937 provided wooden benches for Triangle Park

Community Men's Club -- 1983 considered improvements to parks, sewage disposal, paved streets with Professor Finla Crawford, SU Maxwell School of Citizenship, as the guiding light.

April 19, 1997