The Garden District in Tucson in Pima County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Who Lived Here?
Historical Gardens
Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, June 6, 2015
1. Who Lived Here? Marker
Inscription.
Who Lived Here?. Historical Gardens. Like many Tucsonans in the 1920s, Bernice Walkley and Rutger Porter were transplanted easterners – she from Connecticut and he from New York. Rutger met Bernice while doing landscape work for her father in Tucson.
In 1929 Rutger bought the small adobe house that is now the TBG Gift Shop. Two years later he married Bernice. Together, while raising three girls, they enlarged the house and planted the garden immediately surrounding it.
In the 30s the Porters operated Desert Gardens Nursery on this site. Rutger’s love of desert plants earned him the nickname “Kactus Kid.” He died in 1958. Bernice opened the house and gardens to clubs and visitors, often serving tea in the afternoon. She occupied the east side of her home until her death in 1983. , Photo captions: , Original adobe house in 1930s, view from Alvernon Way , Rutger Porter , Rutger, Bernice and their three girls ,
Like many Tucsonans in the 1920s, Bernice Walkley and Rutger Porter were transplanted easterners – she from Connecticut and he from New York. Rutger met Bernice while doing landscape work for her father in Tucson.
In 1929 Rutger bought the small adobe house that is now the TBG Gift Shop. Two years later he married Bernice. Together, while raising three girls, they enlarged the house and planted the garden immediately surrounding it.
In the 30s the Porters operated Desert Gardens Nursery on this site. Rutger’s love of desert plants earned him the nickname “Kactus Kid.” He died in 1958. Bernice opened the house and gardens to clubs and visitors, often serving tea in the afternoon. She occupied the east side of her home until her death in 1983. Photo captions:
Original adobe house in 1930s, view from Alvernon Way
Rutger Porter
Rutger, Bernice and their three girls
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Horticulture & Forestry. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.
Location. 32° 14.901′ N, 110° 54.575′ W. Marker is in Tucson, Arizona, in Pima County. It is in The Garden District. Marker is on North Alvernon Way. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2150 N Alvernon Way, Tucson AZ 85712, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. Porter House, now Tucson Botanical Garden gift shop
View from the marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. This page has been viewed 594 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on June 7, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
