International Peace Garden, History and Progress

              The first construction work within the Peace Garden was a stone cairn erected
in 1932 on the Internationa] Line, a short distance from the proposed entrance. So
great was the interest in the proposed Peace Garden that a tremendous crowd
gathered on the Border, many miles horn the nearest villages, to attend the dedica­tion
ceremony on July 14th, 1932. The crowd was estimated at over 50,000
people. Led by the Bishop of Brandon, they unitedly pledged themselves in the
words inscribed on the bronze plaque built into the Cairn and framed with
Indian stone hammers:
" TO GOD IN HIS GLORY
WE Two NATIONS DEDICATE THIS GARDEN AND PLEDGE OURSELVES
THAT AS LONG AS MEN SHALL LIVE, WE WILL
NOT TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST
ONE ANOTHER"
In the first years, the Peace Garden was sponsored entirely by people living
in the eastern part of North America. The International Peace Garden Incorporated
was organized under the laws of the State of New York and until 1933 the annual
meetings were held in the City of New York.
It was the Gardeners' Associations of the two countries that sponsored the
idea of having a Peace Garden and it was their committee that selected the
site. Their appeal for support was made to the public, including individuals,
organizations, and all levels of Governments. In other words, it was a movement
of the people, by the people, for the purpose of expressing the deep- rooted desire
of all citizens for the promotion and maintenance of international goodwill and
harmonious relationships between nations. It is true there are international parks
and bridges, etc., but these largely found their origin in governmental action and
were financed almost entirely by Government funds, and do not constitute an
expression of the common people for the ideals sought in the International Peace
Garden movement. It is therefore apparent that this Garden is the only one of its
kind on the International Boundary.
The Garden was launched during the period of serious depression, sometimes
called " The Hungry Thirties." There was much unemployment and young men
were gathered into the Civilian Conservation Corps in the United States and into
Unemployed Relief Programs in Canada. A Civilian Conservation Camp was estab­lished
in the International Peace Garden on the American side in 1934. An arti­ficial
lake of considerable size was created by members of the Camp through the
construction of a dam and a separate spillway. This lake has since been named
Lake Udall, after W. V. Udall, editor of the Boissevain Recorder, who has assisted
greatly with the development. Three miles of gravelled park road were built, with
log bridges over streams. A Lodge, was erected using Canadian logs and United
States stone. This building is 105 feet long, with a wing 60 feet long, which is
used as a dining room for group gatherings. The Lodge especially is popular with
organizations having international connections. Three large picnic shelters were
also built and seven tourist cabins, the latter providing accommodation for twelve
groups. Incinerators and open- air fire places are in the vicinity of the picnic
shelters. Also a regulation high wire fence was built on the outer boundaries.
On the Canadian side, a small lake was created near the entrance to the
Garden and a large lake further back. In 1939 extensive plantings of ornamental
trees and shrubs were made around the small lake. A three- mile road was sur­veyed,
graded and gravelled, so that visitors now travelling over it get attractive
views of the large body of water. It has been named Lake Stormon, after
Mr. John Stormon of Rolla, North Dakota, who has been connected with the
Peace Garden for many years, first as Secretary and more recently as Chairman
of the Board of Directors.
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