History of Region 11
HISTORY OF REGION 11 OF THE AMERICAN IRIS SOCIETY
(from an article printed in the November, 1960, Region 11 News Bulletin, by Gretchen Smith, Twin Falls, Idaho: edited and summarized by Carryl Meyer,Missoula, Montana, November 1994)
In an early bulletin of the American Iris Society, it was noted that Region 11 was once part of two vast regions of the Society’s six official regions. Idaho was part of the Pacific Region, which included eight states, and Montana and Wyoming were part of the Western Region, which included nine other states; in 1928 the large regions were divided into fifteen smaller regions, and Idaho, Montana and Wyoming were denoted as Region 11, with David C. Petrie of Boise, Idaho, as the first RVP; the regional society count was Idaho 3, Montana 2 and Wyoming 1.
By 1935 shows were being held in Moscow, Idaho, at the University at commencement time, a display garden was in existence in Sandpoint, and Society membership was 3, all in Idaho.
From 1936 to 1942 Dr. D.W. Hungerford, Moscow, was RVP, and Society membership grew to 11, Idaho 6, Montana 3 and Wyoming 2. From 1942 to 1948, Mary Tharp, Payette, was RVP; she was a hybridizer for many years. She was perhaps the first from our Region to introduce (in 1927) and register (in 1936) many new iris varieties.
A Regional Meeting, thought to be the first, was held in Twin Falls in 1948, with an AIS Sponsored Show. In March 1950 another meeting was again held in Twin Falls with 86 Irisarians attending; regional membership was now up to nearly 100. Iris Robins were started by Wilman Vallette and were very popular with the region.
The next RVP, Mrs. Ralph Nelson, printed the first Regional Bulletin; more exhibition judges were certified, and several more local societies were formed. Mr. Robert L. Jensen, Montpelier, was the 9th RVP; since 1954 he has served as an accredited Garden Judge, is now a Retired Master Judge, and still writes articles for the AIS bulletin.
In the early 1950’s hybridizing efforts in the region were flourishing. Mrs. Glen Suiter of Caldwell has some 50 registered varieties to her credit, winning HM’s and HC’s several times. Over 15 more hybridizers are listed in the November 1960 Bulletin, with over 100 new varieties listed.
In the 1954 Bulletin, there is a mention of the Region 11 Test Garden at the Horticulture Branch in Corvallis, Montana (I find no further mention of this garden in later Bulletins) but the Missoula Iris Society now has a garden located at Fort Missoula.
Currently, membership in the region remains around 100 or so, but the only affiliated society is the Missoula Iris Society; there are several commercial gardens in the region, with at least one in each state. Hopefully, the next time that the Region 11 History is updated, there will be more members and several new societies affiliated.
In 2018, we have four societies that are affiliated: Missoula Iris Society, Pollen Daubers Iris Society, Gem State Iris Society and Magic Valley Iris Society. We have one commercial iris garden, Sutton’s Iris Garden, and they moved to Star, Idaho from Porterville, CA. They opened for business in the year of 2014.
REGION 11 PAST REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENTS
David C Petrie, Boise, Idaho 1928-1935
Stanley Clarke, Moscow, Idaho 1935
Dr. C.H. Hungerford, Moscow, Idaho 1936-1942
Mary F. Tharp, Payette, Idaho 1942-1947
Gretchen Smith, Twin Falls, Idaho 1948-1950
Mrs. Ralph Nelson, Coeur d’Alene 1951-1953
Homer Metcalf, Bozeman, Montana 1954-1956
Mrs. E.J. Jenke, Boise, Idaho 1957-1959
Robert Jensen, Montpelier, Idaho 1960-1962
Mrs. C. Arvid Nelson, Laramie, Wyoming 1963-1965
Lucile Conrad, Buhl, Idaho 1966-1968
Phyllis Holtz, Kellogg, Idaho 1969-1971
Gretchen Smith, Twin Falls, Idaho 1972-1974
Eunice Cass, Missoula, Montana 1975-1977
Neil Mogensen, Fruitland, Idaho 1978
David Dumford, Missoula, Montana 1979-1982
Eileen Allison, Meridian, Idaho 1983-1985
Ronn Dunn, Missoula, Montana 1986-1988
Rosemary Baier, Missoula, Montana 1989-1991
Carryl Meyer, Missoula, Montana 1992-1994
Carryl Meyer, Missoula, Montana 1995
Carryl Meyer, Missoula, Montana 1996-2000
Eileen Allison, Meridian, Idaho 2001-2003
Angelique Violette, Polson, Montana 2004-2006
Jayme Adams, Boise, Idaho 2007-2009
Alverta Symes, Missoula, Montana 2010-2012
Angelique Violette, James Sadler, Missoula 2013-2014
James Sadler, Missoula, Montana 2015-2016
Jeanette Graham, Twin Falls, Idaho 2017-2019