Horry County Museum to showcase 75 years of Conway Iris Garden Club

A new special historical exhibit celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Conway Iris Garden Club will open to the public on the first floor of the Horry County Museum. The exhibit highlights seven and a half decades of civic beautification, youth education, and community involvement spearheaded by the local organization across Horry County.

Visitors to the museum will be able to view two large display boards filled with gardening history, organizational records, historic photographs, and collected memorabilia. The showcase features blue, red, and yellow competition ribbons awarded to the club over the years, alongside an official proclamation for Garden Club Week. Display materials highlight key local contributors and historic leaders, including project organizer Tonda Kelley, district council president Juanita Burnett, master gardener Marianne Jentilucci, and former club leaders such as the late Gail Harrelson and the late Bonnie Hendrick.

The exhibit details the extensive physical footprint the 40-member club has established throughout the area. Their active local work includes maintaining an educational student garden at Waccamaw Elementary School, managing garden beds and cross displays at First Baptist Church (GracePoint) on Elm Street, and decorating public spaces at the Travelers Chapel and Lakeside Cemetery's gazebo. Club members are also responsible for planting and maintaining the flower beds in front of Conway City Hall and surrounding its public fountain.

For Grand Strand residents, garden enthusiasts, and history buffs, the display provides a detailed look at how local volunteer organizations shape public spaces and community heritage in Horry County.

The historical display will remain open on the first floor of the Horry County Museum through the end of November 2026. The museum welcomes visitors Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Community members seeking further information about the exhibit or museum schedules can contact reporting staff at kathy.ropp@myhorrynews.com.