Journal of Adolph G. Rosengarten, Jr.
The following are entries from a journal that Chanticleer founder, Adolph G. Rosengarten, Jr. kept from the years 1933-1985. He made daily notes about the property known as Minder House, now the site of the Ruin Garden. These journal entries include the accounts of plantings, building maintenance, and family events. We will share select entries on a regular basis to provide a glimpse into Chanticleer's history.October 24th
1934
- Mrs. Kaash, Miss Cavier's prosecutor, ordered to Phila. General for observation.
1936
- Oliver & Jean Pender came for weekend.
1949
- Albrecht Nurseries completed the following planting: Edge of 37 Honeywell yews in the cutting garden; 4 white pine & 3 hemlocks on knoll's edge 100 yds N.W. of house & 3 hemlock to the East of that point in edge of woods; coton easter next to tool shed; Euonymous at S. door replaced w/ ilex; crab in corner above cutting garden; holly, hemlock, rhoendron on lower part of place.
1961
- 375 daffodils planted in drifts along stream S.W. of bridge.
October 25th
1947
- Very severe drought: There has been no measurable rain for a month & it has been much warmer than average. Hardy border rearranged.
1949
- Very severe drought too, but during the night about an inch of rain.
1960
- During the past four days, Bickers has put in above the new hardy border: 12 laurel, 22 Pieris, 27 leucothoe, 3 cotoneaster (willow leaf), 12 Juniper (wiltonii), 2 Oxydendron (6') & 1 Serbian spruce (3').
1962
- Two beds below cutting garden done over by Ruggeiri: J.N.R. pleased.
1968
- Roy Jones finished outside painting of house & garage.
October 26th
1934
- Hard rain & high wind took many leaves from trees.
1935
- Repiled wood & logs for winter's work.
1936
- Very heavy frost.
1940
- Andorra Nurseries planted the following shrubs in the area behind the border in the woods & up to the rhododendron bed: 1 Rhodod. cancanadense, 2 Rhodod. luciferam, 1 Myrica crifera, 1 Ilex glabra, 1 Hamamelis japonica, 1 Ham. vernalis, 2 Azalea vasgeria, 2 Azalea daveysii, 1 Cercis canadensis, 1 Vibernum dilatatum.
1956
- Grading for flower beds below cutting garden, incl. 2' wide steel sheet to keep out roots of maple tree, completed & seeded.
October 27th
1934
- Fall is with us. Leaves are all turned by now, but many are still on the trees.
1935
- Warm. Washed th eBuick in A.M., and in P.M. reset the stones on drive.
1936
- 26° at 7:00 A.M. Record Cold.
1947
- Drought, w/ no measurable rain since 23 Sept. broken w/ a good rain.
1949
- First frost.
1953
- Drought broken by a good rain, which began 8:00 P.M. & continued thru night.
1961
- 3 Norway spruce & 5 arbor vitae planted along Brooke Road N. of Entrance.
1976
- First of Miss Beazley's recommendations begun by Mandes. Grade above rose bed.
1979
- A.G.R. Jr. & J.N.R. returned on Concorde. In England spent weekends w/ D & C. Le Roy Lewis & Kag Wineble. Visited Bells at Thirsk 22nd & 26th Oct.
October 28th
1950
- Jane Borgerhoff & her grand mother spent the night. The Kidawas, N. Newlin & the Borgerhoffs came for dinner.
1951
- A.G.R. Jr. & J.N.R. at Princeton for the Christening of Eliz. Guerard Borgerhoff.
1952
- AGR Jr. & JNR arrived N.Y. on Ile de France. 20 hours late because of bad weather. We returned to Minder House at 5 P.M. having stopped enroute at Princeton.
1954
- 2 Taxus media hicksii on N. edge of Vista & seven small repandens yews between walk & dining room. See entry 24 Sept. 1954.
1955
- Frederic Rosengarten died this afternoon.
1961
- 78° at noon, a record high for the day. Ct. Nov. 4th.
1974
- Replanting fore-court at Chanticleer begun by Weldon Nurseries.
October 29th
1946
- A very late fall. Lawn mown today & many trees still in full leaf.
1952
- While we were away, Henry Farrow (L.P. Sims architect) built stoop to front door & put in a new door with new lights, fan etc. There was also considerable repairs to our bathroom & replastering done.
1957
- A load of top soil used to grade above hardy border.
1970
- Laise de Bethmann here for night: Next day Barnes Foundation & urban renewal.
1974
- Roy Jones (George actually) misc. exterior painting.
1984
- Scrub on N.E. bank of tennis court removed by back hoe.
October 30th
1935
- Rain & warm. Temperature has been above normal since the middle of the month. Leaves are off practically all the trees.
1955
- Hyacinth's for forcing in house potted today.
1975
- Misc. planting by Weldon Nurseries at Minder House and at Chanticleer completed today: incl. Sophora Jap. Regent outside Breakfast Room.
1978
- A.G.R. Jr. & J.N.R. to New York for 2 days with Bells, who flew home Nov. 1st.
October 31st
1935
- Temp. defeciency for month 2 deg.; Rainfall 3.94 in. Excess since Jan. 1st 6.45 in.
1936
- Temp. excess for month 24 deg: rainfall 1.76. Defeciency since Jan 1st 1.21 in.
1938
- Temp. excess for month 50 deg. : rain fall 2.09 in.
1940
- Temp. defeciency for month 109°; total rainfall 2.38 in.
1946
- John Lea completed excellent job of painting the laundry.
1951
- Good rains in latter part of month, but reseeded lawn still not very high.
1955
- A very wet month: rainfall approx 7 1/2 in. with excess for year of 2 1/2 in.
1957
- Septic tanks opened & cleaned out by Barr. No damage to field drains indicated.
1963
- No appreciable rainfall this month. Defeciency since Jan. 1st 9.62 in. Drought.
1971
- The second warmest October on record: Temp. frequently in low eighties.
1972
- A.G.R. Jr. & J.N.R. returned via B.O.A.C. from London, having left Oct. 4th.
1985
- Rainfall since January 1st defeciency: 6 1/2".
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