Duke Gardens Foundation records, 1912-2002 and undated

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Summary

Creator:
Duke Gardens Foundation
Abstract:
On October 15, 1958 the Duke Gardens Foundation was incorporated with the purpose of "developing thereon agricultural, botanical & horticultural exhibits for the purpose of scientific experiments and of public inspection, instruction, education & enjoyment." Over the period of six years, Doris Duke was personally involved in the physical design of the Indoor Display Gardens, in which various gardens were carefully designed, planned, and developed from the point of view of authenticity. The gardens were opened to the public in 1964, and included 11 unique gardens for visitors to enjoy. Doris Duke continued her involvement with her gardens throughout her life, bringing designers with her to modify them during the summer season when they were closed to tourists. The Duke Gardens Foundation was officially dissolved November 13, 2001 and the gardens closed to the public in 2008. The collection documents the lifecycle of the Duke Gardens Foundation, beginning with the inception of the Duke Gardens Foundation and the design and creation of the various indoor display gardens that comprised Duke Gardens, including the associated purchases of plants and bulbs. The materials follow the daily operations of Duke Gardens, including modifications and general upkeep of the gardens, visitor and tour information, and operations of the Foundation itself. The materials end with the general management of Duke Gardens after Doris Duke's death in 1993 and the final dissolution of the Foundation in 2001. Materials include correspondence, inventories, specifications for various architectural projects at Duke Gardens, invoices and vouchers for repairs and reconstruction to the greenhouses, surveys and reports, financial ledgers, and a multitude of both black and white and color photographs and slides of the different gardens.
Extent:
96.8 Linear Feet
28,000 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.01438

Background

Scope and content:

The Duke Gardens Foundation records (formerly DGF.13) is part of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives which were donated to the Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The collection is arranged into five series: Administrative Records, Financial Records, Photographs/Slides, Legal Records, and Architectural Records. It primarily spans the years 1912 to 2002, although a bulk of the materials date from 1958 to 1999. The collection documents the lifecycle of the Duke Gardens Foundation, beginning with the inception of the Duke Gardens Foundation and the design and creation of the various indoor display gardens that comprised Duke Gardens, including the associated purchases of plants and bulbs. The materials follow the daily operations of Duke Gardens, including modifications and general upkeep of the gardens, visitor and tour information, and operations of the Foundation itself. The materials end with the general management of Duke Gardens after Doris Duke's death in 1993 and the final dissolution of the Foundation in 2001. Materials include correspondence (including thank you letters from visitors), inventories, specifications for various architectural projects at Duke Gardens, invoices and vouchers for repairs and reconstruction to the greenhouses, surveys and reports, financial ledgers, and a multitude of both black and white and color photographs and slides of the different gardens. The arrangement of the collection varies with each series.

Biographical / historical:

A visit to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania prompted Doris Duke to find a new purpose for the empty greenhouses that had fallen into disrepair at her Duke Farms estate in Somerville, New Jersey. Originally established by her father James Buchanan (J.B.) Duke, the greenhouses were constructed to grow various fruits and flowers, particularly orchids. In the 1950s, Doris Duke set about modernizing and repairing the structures and on October 15, 1958 incorporated the Duke Gardens Foundation with the purpose of "developing thereon agricultural, botanical & horticultural exhibits for the purpose of scientific experiments and of public inspection, instruction, education & enjoyment." Over the period of six years, Doris Duke was personally involved in the physical design of the Indoor Display Gardens, in which various gardens were carefully designed, planned, and developed from the point of view of authenticity. Although she lacked specific botanical knowledge, she had a clear vision of the spaces and features she wanted to create and designed all but one of the gardens, incorporating her interests in color, design and fragrance. The gardens were opened to the public in 1964, and included 11 unique gardens for visitors to enjoy. Doris Duke continued her involvement with her gardens throughout her life, bringing designers with her to modify them during the summer season when they were closed to tourists. The Duke Gardens Foundation was officially dissolved November 13, 2001 and the gardens closed to the public in 2008.

Acquisition information:
The Duke Gardens Foundation Records were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a donation from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in June 2009.
Processing information:

Processed by Mary Samouelian, July 2011

Encoded by Mary Samouelian, July 2011

Accession(s) described in this finding aid: UA2009-0030

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.

Subjects:
Botanical gardens
Architectural drawing -- United States -- 20th century
Architecture -- Designs and plans
Names:
Duke Gardens Foundation
Duke, James Buchanan, 1856-1925
Duke, Doris
Places:
Somerville (N.J.)

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research, however there are restrictions on certain materials within the collection. See Series level descriptions for more information.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use. Due to the fragility of the architectural records, The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Digital use copies in this collection have been migrated to a library server and can only be accessed onsite in the Rubenstein Library Reading Room. To request access please contact Research Services prior to visiting the library.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Duke Gardens Foundation Records, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.