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DACS Field Name                               Value
2.1: Reference Code: us-gaua-83-75
2.2: Repository Location : Reese Library Special Collections, Augusta State University 2500 Walton Way, Augusta GA. 30904-2200
2.3: Title: Berckmans/Fruitland Nursery
2.4: Date: 1835-1947 (bulk 1904-1913)
2.5: Extent: 2 Hollinger boxes
2.6: Creator: unknown
3.1: Scope and Content: material contains correspondence, invoices, receipts, shipping labels, cancelled checks, catalogs and brochures generated or sent to Berckmans/Fruitland Nursery
2.7: Administrative / Biographical History: The material was transferred from the Augusta History Museum in 1983. Fruitland Nursery was founded in 1858 by the Belgian émigré Louis Berckmans and under his son Prosper J. A. Berckmans, Fruitland became one of the South’s most successful nurseries with a national clientele. Prosper Berckmans died in 1910, leaving the business to his sons. A large portion of the estate was sold and became the Augusta National Golf Club which opened in December of 1932. While no longer located on its original site, Fruitland Nurseries is still in business in Augusta, weathering succeeding decades under a variety of owners.

A donation made by Julia Leisenring of Aiken, South Carolina in 2009 was applied to the rehousing of this collection.
4.1: Access: no restrictions
4.5: Language and Scripts of the Materials: English, French and Spanish
6.2 Existence and Location of Copies: 1858 Descriptive Catalogue (From Box 2)
1884-1885 Descriptive Catalogue (From Box 2)
Inventory:








































Inventory:








































Inventory:
Box 1
  • 1835 expense account [?] for [Wiley F. ?] Cox minor, guardianship decree for Hampton Cox, minor, estate inventory of Jesse Cox , deceased
  • 1880 correspondence - March 19th 1880 Letter from [Frank] to Lee Personal letter discussing travel plans September 28th 1880 Letter from Frank to Lee, fragments missing 2 items
  • Correspondence in French, 1 letter 1885, 2 fragments of envelopes. 3 items
  • 1900 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1903 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 7 items
    Of interest, a notice regarding Cuban Consular invoices
  • 1904 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 11 items
  • 1905 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 14 items
    Of interest a letter in Spanish from Berckmans’ Cuban representative
  • 1906 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 75 items
    Of interest orders and correspondence from the Augusta Arsenal, the Charleston Navy Yard and Andersonville National Cemetery
  • 1907 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 40 items
    Of interest planting plan for “Hobcaw” Estate of B.M. Baruch Georgetown SC, and correspondence
  • 1908 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 71 items
  • 1909 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 70 items
  • 1910 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 59 items
    Of interest, New York State Agriculture Nursery Industry survey questionnaire, run of correspondence with Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills, run of correspondence with Eclipse Orange Grove Inc., Leesburg, Florida,
  • 1911 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 28 items
    Of interest, New York State Agriculture Survey questionnaire “Investigation Covering the Cost of Production of Salable Pecan Nursery Stock” A letter to P.J. Berckmans from David Robinson discussing the hiring of foreign workers
  • 1912 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 21 items
    Of interest, Ninth Annual Meeting Alabama State Horticultural Society January 26-27 1912
  • 1913 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 33 items
  • 1914 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 7 items
  • 1915 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 5 items
  • 1916 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 10 items
  • 1917 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 8 items
  • 1918 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 4 items
Box 2
  • 1920 correspondence, receipts and invoices 6 items
    Of interest material which indicates that the nursery was either owned or under the management of Sigmund Tarnok Company for part of 1920
  • 1921 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 4 items
  • 1922 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 4 items
  • 1923 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 12 items
  • 1924 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 4 items
    Of interest Invitation from the Governor of the State of Georgia for the Robert E. Lee unveiling at Stone Mountain
  • 1925 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 5 items
  • 1927 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 2 items
  • 1929 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1930 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1931 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1935 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1936 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1939 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 2 items
  • 1944 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 2 items
  • 1945 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1946 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • 1947 Correspondence, receipts and invoices 1 item
  • Series of correspondence - Alabama Girls’ Industrial School 1907-1908
  • Series of correspondence - Mr. C. D. Weeks 1907-1909
  • Series of correspondence - Orange Judd Company 1909-1911, 1913
  • Series of correspondence - Dr. W. J. McCain 1907-1908
  • 1858 and 1884-1885 catalogs and catalog wrapper
  • 1884-1885 Fruitland Nurseries Catalog reproduction
  • Suppliers advertisements and catalogs and other brochures ca. 1900
    Of interest a calling card for Georgia Headquarters Navy Department United Confederate Veterans
Date unknown
  • Commercial Peach Orchards legal size eleven page manuscript written by [L.A.?] Berckmans
  • Piece of stationary with order instructions written on “The Albion” letterhead
  • 2 newspaper articles
  • Flyer for Henry F. Mitchell Co, Grass Seed Specialists
  • Stray second page of letter
  • Yokohama Nursery Co. Ltd.
  • Change of address card for Fruitland Nurseries Customers
  • Receipt for Clemson College Coast Experimental Station
  • Letter from Elizabeth Ritchie
  • Scheme of [Tree Island Ranch?]
  • Questions of Management of Labor J. C. Laue Cornell University, Ithaca New York
  • Telegram from W. L. Hall
  • Practical Farm Books List
  • Letter G. M. Bacon Pecan Company
  • Letter Mrs. S. Wilson
  • Canceled checks, shipping labels, scraps