The first meeting of the Ceres Garden Club was held in September
1996. The Club was federated in 1997 by the National Council of State
Garden Clubs, Incorporated.
There were twelve original members and meetings were held in each
other's homes for the first two years. For a time the meetings were
held at Silva's Mexican Restaurant in Ceres. The meetings are
currently held at the Ceres City Council Chambers.
A separate club with the same name (not affiliated with NCSGCI)
existed many years prior to the present Club. Its founder was Irmie
Barnes. There were about twenty-four to thirty members; mostly farm
wives. They took turns hosting the meetings in their homes, and needed
to bring their own chairs. The Ceres Garden Club purchased its first
Penny Pines Plantation in memory of Irmie, who continued as a member
of the present Club.
