Box E

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Signed handwritten letter from Marie L. Knapp to Mildred Bliss informing her that after spending one hour in the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. she felt refreshed in body and spirit. She tells Mildred Bliss that it is a wonderful thing that she and Mr. Robert Woods Bliss make the lovely place available for so many to enjoy. She sends her personal gratitute for the pleasure it give her.

Scope and Contents: Exchange of handsigned and copy of letters between Helen J. Massey, Ruth Farley Massey, and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss's secretary on Mildred Bliss's behalf. In one letter, Massey as chairman of the Garden Club of Winchester and Clarke County asks if the club might visit the Dumbarton Oaks garden. Mildred Bliss's secretary responds saying Mildred Bliss is glad for the members of the club to visit Dumbarton Oaks. Helen [Judd] Massey [Aitken] sends her personal thanks for the Dumbarton Oaks...

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Signed handwritten letter from Aileen? to Mildred Bliss thanking her for the concert. Letter sent January 12, year unknown.

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Handwritten letter in French by an unknown correspondent to Mildred Bliss.

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Signed handwritten letter from Elizabeth M. Cornell to Robert and Mildred Bliss thanking them on behalf of the blind people who attended a concert at Dumbarton Oaks. She hopes she may have the privilege of sharing the Henry and Annie Hart Home for the Blind at 3050 R. Street Northwest with them some day.

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Signed handwritten letter from Florence to Mildred Bliss thanking her for an evening of exquisit pleasure, it was "an interlude of beauty and forgetfulness of black realities". The monogram at the top of the first page of the letter is F K S, Florence S. K[last name].

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Signed handwritten letter from Diane Levin? to Mildred Bliss thanking her for a concert in the Dumbarton Oaks music room.

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Singed handwritten letter to Mildred Bliss thanking her for a lovely music concert. Letter may have been written by Harriet Winslow.

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Signed handwritten letter from Pauline B. Woodruff to Mildred Bliss thanking her for plants for the children's playground at Montrose Park, Washington, D.C. and for the generous gift to the little Garden Club. She also extends thanks from the Superintendent of the Playground Department of Montrose Park.

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Signed handwritten letter from Jennie Scudder Murray to Mildred Bliss thanks her on behalf of the New Jersey Delegation of the Colonial Dames of America for the opportunity to visit the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C.

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Signed handwritten letter to Mildred Bliss thanking her for the hospitality, kindness, house, and garden tour. Unable to decipher the signature of the writer. The correspondent wants to send Mildred Lawrence of Arabia's translaton of "Forest Giant" for its philsophy and book on trees and hopes Mildred Bliss admires Lawrence (Shaw) as much as he/she does.

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Signed handwritten letter from John [last name illegible], Washington, D.C. to Mildred Bliss asking permission to show the Dumbarton Oaks Garden to a visitor much interested in gardens.

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Signed handwritten letter in both English and French from [first name illegible] Waukowicz, Washington, D.C. to Mildred Bliss thanks her for the garden party in the Dumbarton Oaks Garden. The correspondent comments on the beauty of the garden.

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Signed handwritten letter from Katharine McKiever, Acting Secretary of the Washington Unit of the Women's Overseas League writing on behalf of the organization, to Mildred Bliss thanks her for the garden party and the privilege of the garden experience, and for being such as gracious hostess.

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Signed handwritten letter from an unknown person [name illegible] to Mildred Bliss expressing appreciation for meeting her, seeing her collection and garden at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, D.C. The correspondence asks Mildred Bliss to let her know if she is interested in receiving a colored photograph of Barbarini's mosaic. A drawing of a stately building on the water (possibly in Venice) with this letter.

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Anonymously signed handwritten letter from unknown person possibly a Georgetown neighbor to Mildred Bliss thanks her for opening her garden to the public. She tells Mildred Bliss that she created such beauty, and it is generous of her to share such a wonderful thing. Letter marked as received October 28, 1940, a Monday. It was probably written October 27, 1940 as the letter is marked "Sunday" at the top of the first page.

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Signed handwritten letter [name illegible] to Mildred Bliss and Robert Woods Bliss. The letter accompanied two gifts for the Blisses. Quince preserves made from the fallen Quinces in the Dumbarton Oaks Garden and a book that was supposed to arrive for a Christmas gift to add to the Garden Library collection. The correspondent tells the Blisses of the therapeutic qualities of the quinces (Cydonia Vulgaris Persoon) according to the "Hortus Sanitatus".

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Signed handwritten letter from Helene Woodruff to Mildred Bliss regrets being unable to attend her luncheon following the outstanding symposium. She tells Mildred Bliss that the symposium was a notable example of what she sought to achieve at Dumbarton Oaks.

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Signed handwritten letter from Martha H.? [last name illegible] to Mildred Bliss offers thanks for letting her bring a friend on the tour of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden and for all the attention given to them by the Superintendent of the Garden and the gardeners. She tells her the garden is a beautiful place with much serenity and dignity and even after walking through it she still felt rested. She says the design and proportion of the garden rooms is "perfection."

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Signed handwritten letter from Elizabeth Curtis to Mildred Bliss thanks her for the tour of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, but also Mildred Bliss' offer to help Mrs. Sheldon get back to England. Included with this correspondence is a calling card with a handwritten plea from Elizabeth Curtis to Mildred Bliss asking for her help. Letter dated November 13 probably written between 1937 and 1946 the year Elizabeth Curtis died.

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Picture postcard with signed handwritten note from Francis Dvornik to Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss thanking them for a recent enjoyable conversation with them. He informs them he is in Canada at a French retreat house (photo on postcard is of Villa Saint-Martin, Maison de Retraites Fermees per hommes, 9451 boulevard Gouin ouest, Pierrafonds, Quebec) and said mass for them and the success for Dumbarton Oaks.

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Newspaper clipping of the Georgetown Garden Club tour which included Dumbarton Oaks. Organizer of the tour was Mrs. Herbert (Ruth Stanley-Brown) Feis. The Dumbarton Oaks estate of Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss has 53 acres and 40 gardeners.

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Signed handwritten letter from Lucretia del Valle Grady to Mildred Bliss thanking her for a gracious Spring evening and delightful memory.

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Signed handwritten letter from J.D. Hatch, Jr. to Mildred Bliss thanking her for tea and a reception in her Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. He says he has enjoyed wandering many gardens, but he has not seen one as offering such an intimate and personal spirit to it. It was the perfect setting for the event. He hopes to see her and Robert Woods Bliss in Boston.

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Signed handwritten letter from Mary Callaway Jones (Mrs. Frank F.) to Mildred Bliss tells her expresses her appreciation for sharing the Dumbarton Oaks Gardens, Washington, D.C. with her as a member of the Council of Colonial Dames.