International Peace Garden, History and Progress

              gravelled. " V^ Wors now travelling over it get attractive views^ T this large body of
water. The lake 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.
In 1939 extensive plantings of ornamental trees and shrubs were made on the
Canadian side around the small lake, near the entrance to the Peace Garden, and
adjoining the Formal Area. This part of the Peace Garden, together with the Peace
Panel, is now of great value in demonstrating to the numerous tourists, visiting
groups and individuals the wonderful possibilities for the remainder of the Garden.
The Second World War put an end to Federal Government Grants and it was
ten years before these were resumed. Several organizations continued their support
but funds were quite insufficient to permit more than a maintenance program.
In 1948 the Board of Directors of the Garden decided to appeal to the two
Federal Governments for financial aid. The late J. E . Matthews, M . P . , who had
always been greatly interested in the Garden, was asked to assist in obtaining a
Canadian Government grant, and was also invited to be present with American
delegates to put the request for funds before the Congressional Committee. Both
appeals were successful and the Canadian Government, commencing i n 1949, has
given $ 15,000 a year for support of the Garden, while Congress voted $ 100,000
to be expended in 1950, 1951 and 1952. A Superintendent of Development was
engaged, and two of the C . C . C . huts and a garage were moved from the old camp
to a building site north of the Border. The two huts were winterized and made
into comfortable residences, a part of one being used as an office.
During the winters, an extensive program has been underway on the Canadian
side, consisting of the removal of waterkilled trees and brush from the borders of
several lakes, thus greatly improving the natural scenic beaut)' along the drives.
In 1950, with funds for a satisfactory start available, it was decided to resume
work on the Formal Area of the Garden, as planned by the National Parks Service
of the United States in consultation with the National Parks officials of Canada and
the Landscape Architects of America. To Walter F. Clarke, a landscape architect
working for private organizations, goes the credit for the over- all plan that was
adopted. The plans were draughted by Mr. Dan Burroughs previous to 1939. For
the past three years he has been the United States Federal inspector of work
undertaken at the Peace Garden. The plans for the Formal Area of the Garden
were evidently made after an exhaustive study of the topography of the area and
this reduced the moving of soil to establish the new grades to a minimum. As the
Terrace Panel plans include an extensive system of stone retaining walls, it is
fortunate that on the southern fringe of the Turtle Mountains near the village of
Dunseith, North Dakota, the glacial deposits left good quality granite stones, many
of them well colored. These stones have been dug out of the earth and split for
loading on trucks, some single stones making three truck loads. A large deposit of
excellent gravel for concrete construction was also located in this same vicinity.
Hundreds of tons of the stone and many hundreds of yards of gravel and sand
have been hauled to ihe International Peace Garden for the construction program.
According to plans, there are to be six panels i n the Formal Area of the Peace
Garden, each in itself a complete unit. They are drawn so that whatever is
developed on one side of the Line is duplicated on the other. Each panel is to
consist of several acres of land and the total length of the panel sections is three-quarters
of a mile. From east to west along the International Line will be,— first the
Peace Panel, then the Terrace Panel, the Sunken Garden, the Cascade Panel, the
Reflecting Pool and the Peace Tower.
The Peace Panel, while well advanced, is not quite complete but it does
present a pleasing picture. The Cairn is on the International Line on a narrow
plot of turf located between the two roads leading into the American and Canadian
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